


The night is young

by jeffgangfan



Series: Crazy thoughts [1]
Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: Angst, Comfort, Do I ever know anything for once?, Fluff, I don't know, M/M, Undercut!NIco, Vampire!Nico, it happened
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-06
Updated: 2015-03-08
Packaged: 2018-01-18 09:47:49
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 14
Words: 24,396
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1424008
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jeffgangfan/pseuds/jeffgangfan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Have you ever wondered...<br/>Who was Nico di Angelo?<br/>Or...<em>what</em> was Nico di Angelo?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I have no idea why I came up with this. I mean, vampire-related things are usually viewed with a particular view.  
> My inspiration was from a pic on Tumblr from the artist://nicolasdean.tumblr.com/.  
> "What if he had red murderous eyes?"

Well, he was a demigod, son of Hades, Ghost King, an eighty-year-old man stuck inside the body of a teen ager.  
Nico still acted like a teenager, though.  
And he ** _had_** to be a vampire.

Have they ever wondered why he looked so pale and his skin was as cold as ice?  
Blood no longer ran through his veins.

Have they ever wondered why he smelled like Death? They even called him Death Breath for fun.  
It was not only an heirloom from his father.

Wondered why he never smiled?  
He was afraid of showing his too long, sharp fangs.

And why he disliked being touched?  
Nico was never confident with the blood lust stuff.

It was not terrible being a vampire, though. The fangs and blood-red eyes only seemed recognizable at night. Nico could still feel their existence but no one actually noticed.  
Nico had to be a vampire as if being a demigod hadn't reached the worst level of WORST. Now don't let him list out all the things he had to suffer thanks to the divine lineage.

You would have his words that being a vampire was not much like Breaking Dawn, Twilight or any of that series. Nico must admit, it was quite advantageous.  
He got the speed, fast enough to dodge and deflect attacks from enemies. His instinct grew stronger and so did his senses. Every time Nico fought, he felt the rise of adrenaline became frantic, spreading, rushing through his body instead of blood, helped him last longer in battle.  
"King of the Dead", his title, had never sounded so right. The ghosts said he was the most powerful demigod/vampire they had ever seen.

 

It started when he shoved his tongue down the blonde's throat.  
Fine, fine, he had a complicated life ( when wasn't it? ) that involved "night-standard" lovers. He didn't care about the strangely sharp fangs of his partner, the way his eyes turned scarlet and the cold skin.  
Because he needed physical contact, needed pleasure to temporarily forget about a mere son of Poseidon. So Nico pushed the blonde down in the bed, lips trailed down the long line of his neck as the boy moaned with pleasure. And as usual, he topped. He couldn't recall the moment that pretty boy bit him because he was too sated to even open his eyes and Nico used to thought hickeys were harmless.

The next morning, he abruptly threw away the blankets and surged forward for the ambrosia in his aviator jacket as the blood dripped down from his neck to the mattress.  
He was not dead and his partner was nowhere to be found.  
(So, briefly, he had sex with a vampire and got bitten, huh)

 

His only problem was the sun. It was undeniable that the sun should have some kind of effects on him and he would be in dander if attacked at dawn. He wouldn't vanish immediately or burst into flame like those ridiculously cheesy movie but sunlight gave him splitting headache and his body ached, bent in painful angles. Nico experienced that once, charging a drakon (long story).  
He came up with a solution which included new vampire powers.

But let's focus on the _real_ sun, Percy Jackson, who gave him heartache (ironically). Whenever he was around, NIco got this weird kind of urge to knock him down, straddle his waist and bite him deep in the neck. Deep, _deep_ , **deep**.

Was that a vampire thing?

When he had his first blood lust, he didn't hesitate and grab the rat to suck it dry. Like, blood-dried. People often said that vampires liked human blood best because it was tasty ya dadda. Don't believe them. It was just a nonsense like new-born vampires. To him, being a vampire meant you sometimes wanted to drink blood, that's all. But Percy Jackson, of all people, made the blood lust impossible to control.  
Repeat: _Impossible_


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sunscreen.  
> Nico smelled like coconut and vanilla.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unbelievable! 11 kudos for the first day!  
> Thank you, thank you all!  
> *Dance the hola*
> 
> Check the characters list, my friends.

Sunscreen.  
His freaking solution was sunscreen. And guess how long it took him to figure that out.  
Six months.

_Anyway, six months ago..._

_Nico never thought he was something worth caring for his father._  
 _Hades obviously "would prefer Bianca". Why wouldn't he? Even Nico preferred Bianca to himself._

_However, his godly farther paid him a visit at Starbucks. Nico needed coffee to recover from the early attack of the Drakon this morning. The headache hadn't faded completely and his whole body ached. Coffee would work it out._  
 _So Hades, dressed in his finest suit, popped out from nowhere in front of his son, causing Nico to spit out his warm Mocha Lattes ( Yeah, he kinda ruined his cool-vampire image ). The couple at the neatby table yelped and a girl somehow managed to flipped her book due to the sudden appearance of the god. The Helm of Darkness looked like a felt hat._

_"Hello, my child" the god cleared his throat._

_"My Lord" Nico managed._

_Nico no longer called the god " father". He never got over the feeling that his father only considered him as one of his soldiers. His little soldier. Responsibilities and tasks didn't help the binding._

_"I came to offer a gift"_

_"In contrary, I have to do what?" asked Nico. In his messed up life, there was nothing as a gift. Payment and consequences. All that jazz._

_"No need for assistance. This is a mere gift" said Hades, as he placed something on the table._

_"May I ask for reasons?"_

_"Because you here, my pawn, are having trouble with the sun" . Hades raised an eyebrow, an amused look was cast on his face._

_Nico furrowed his eyebrows, eyes widened with shock. Did that mean his father knew he wa a vampire? Did he know when? And how could he act normal as if he was not a major stalker?_  
 _The train of thoughts stopped as Lord of the Underworld cleared his throat again._

_"I've been watching you, son. I do care" Hades said firmly._

_"Oh gee, I feel so safe" Nico couldn't help but snapped back. If there was one thing he slowly developed thanks to being a vampire, it was sarcasm._

_Nico was not sure why he was taken aback and replied so sarcastically. The fact that his father cared or the fact that he might have seen the wrong side of Nico countless times ( complicated life here ). He was about to thank his father, to show how grateful he actually was, but before he could do so, Hades was gone. The god left nothing but a pair of dark glasses. Nico picked them up, his fingers brushed against the cold specs. There were words carved on the sides, but his dyslexia won. He would read them later eventually._

_Nico didn't know exactly how the sunglasses worked but every time he put them on, they were like magnets. They were magnetic to the shadows, as shadows swirled around, covered him, protected Nico from the sun. The disadvantage was: enemies can easily recognize the unusually shady, dark figure of his._

_He looked like some kind of rock star for six months, wearing the pair of sunglasses._

_Hazel noticed him wearing the shades all the time. Nico told her about the recent effects of sunlight on him, carefully left out the vampire part. So Hazel got him his first bottle of sunscreen. That was how he figured it out._  
 _Sunscreen. ( He has smelled like coconut and vanilla since he started using the cream. More lovers, but he declined. No more hickeys.)_

 

And Nico also took in that his Stygian sword was not the only weapon because his fangs could do more than just suck blood.  
One bite, and the bitten died. Instant death.  
If only they were made of celestial bronze.

"Leo, I need your help"

"What can I do for you, my King?"

Of course, Leo didn't mean it. The Latino hadn't changed much since the Giant War. His mischievous smile was still there but it wasn't used to hide the pain and sadness inside anymore. Happiness and satisfaction splattered across his face since he finally belonged and got to be with his girl. Nico didn't relate to him much, but he was glad for Leo, really.

"Why do you need fang covers anyway?" Leo asked, after a confusing description from Nico.

"For battle"

"Not helpful, dude. And I need to measure the actual sizes to make sure they won't fall out"

"Really have to do that?"

"Unless you want the user to choke on them. And why the hell do you need them to be so long and sharp? Don't tell me they are for your Hellhound because there is no way I'm putting my hand in its mouth"

Nico had never told anyone about being a vampire. Despite all the powerful feelings, he couldn't stop considering himself a freak. He was already different enough, needed no reminder for that. Nico had died a little inside since the Croatia and Cupid thing. And now, he felt just the same. The young, lost boy inside was shouting, telling him to shadow travel away from Leo.  
Yet he needed the fang covers. For his gods-know-how-long demigod life, for his survival. Sooner or later, someone should know. He didn't want that person to be Leo, but he needed help.

"You must promise not to tell anyone"

"Is this some kind of international secret becaus- whoa whoa, hold it"

Nico opened him mouth widely, revealed his two fangs. They looked proud, dangerous and deadly in the dim light of Leo-Calypso's garage. Leo looked stunned and a little frightened, his hair started to have small chips of fire, his jaw dropped.

"I'm a vampire" Nico said, casually or at least he tried to be casual.

"You're a vampire" Leo repeated "You're sure you don't have a donkey's leg and a celestial bronze one like that cheerleader girl in Percy's stories, right?"

"Vampires are different from empousas" Nico answered absent-mindedly as the mention of Percy struck. He wanted Leo to promise and may force him if necessary.

" I promise not to tell anyone about you being a vamp-demigod, Edward" Leo laughed nervously, trying to ease the tension.

They held eye contact and shared a mutual understanding. Nico found himself feeling sorry for the thought of forcing Leo. It was even scarier to realize the fact that he started to think ill of others just because he didn't respect himself. Skepticism seemed to darkened his life, earning him a reserved manner towards the people he loved. The thought of them looking sad and disappointed when they found out made him sick.

As for Leo, he didn't expect Nico to trust him much. The feeling of being doubted had lived in him since the Giant War, but then Calypso taught him that Leo could try to achieve things he deserved in life. So, Nico, a start.

" So, are you afraid of garlic? Crosses?"

"What?"

"That's basic knowledge from class Vamp 101, you should know" Leo laughed again.

"Nope. Sometimes I drink blood, that's all."

"Do you sparkle?" 

"Argh"

Nico, vampire or not, decided that it was time for him to trust, to have a nice life.

Leo was a good start, right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wonder, how would you guys react if I tell you that I did fanart for this fic ?  
> On paper, actually.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> : Basic factors for a healthy, nice life:
> 
> Number 1  
> Number 2  
> Number 3  
> Number 4: Reunions.  
> etc.

Life meant learning.  
You learned consciously, unconsciously, sub-consciously. Never stopped.

Nico learned that he could shadow travel directly to the person who helped in making his life even more complicated. Oh wait, vampire.  
He accidentally traveled to a strange pub, where he had never been to. He didn't feel like drinking and was about to exit but then Nico saw ** _him_**.

Beautiful blonde hair with red-dyed locks.

Scarlet eyes, long eyelashes.

A mark that looked like a hickey on the neck. But it was always there, all the time.

Nico scooted over, apparently noticed the girl being courted by the vampire. A feeling that he couldn't name was rising, giving him a weird creep in his belly. He cleared his throat , standing in front of the couple. The girl looked annoyed and the Vampire’s expression was bewildered. 

“My lady, may I borrow our friend here for a moment?” – Nico said politely but he was pretty sure he looked like _“you’d better let me or I’ll make you suffer in ways you've never thought of”_

The girl shuddered involuntarily and before she could say a word, Nico had dragged the boy to the toilet with him. He pushed the boy harshly against the wall, hands went for his collar.

“The last time you pushed me, you were gentle” the vampire said jokingly, looking amused.

“Fuck you” Nico growled

“You did, apparently”

“You think you can just mess around, sucking blood like maniac mosquitoes then turn them into vampires and disappear?” Nice shouted.

The vampire stared at him, barely even blinked. Then he reached out and cupped Nico’s face, before lifting his chin up. Nico had a chance to take a close look at the blonde’s eyes. They are full of wonder and chaos.   
Then the blonde moved closer and licked the mark he left on Nico.

“What’s wrong with you?” Nico exclaimed as he sprinted away. The vampire straightened his burgundy suits. Nico frowned. Last time it only took a baseball T shirt and jeans to get into Nico's pants. Wow, so easy. (And pretty sad when he found out that his standard was even lower than that girl's)

“First of all, I don’t 'turn them into vampires'. You are the first to survive”. The boy waged his fingers, licking his lips. “Second, you know, all of this wouldn't have happened if you hadn’t gone flirting at bars”.

“I didn't flirt” Nico grunted

“You gave in” the blonde shrugged.

Nico never know what was right and what was wrong. There was never a fine line between “right” and “wrong”. If he hadn't been to bars and drunk he wouldn’t have been lured and turned into a vampire. But if he hadn't been a vampire, he would have died. Still he know for sure there was something wrong with the blonde, this-this vampire.

“And you slept with a person without knowing his name” The pretty boy added as if he hadn't notice Nico’s sour expression.

“You are no person”

“I am not the only one, I bet”

Nico tried not to show defeat, but he know the younger was right. Was he even younger than Nico?

“How am I not dead?” he asked instead.

“I don’t know. It seems like you are special” the vampire winked.

“Stop the flirting”

“Good point”

Nico felt like he had nothing left to say. Who was he to interfere anyway? In this mad world, he didn’t want rivalry for nothing. He had had enough enemies.  
So Nico walked out. Out of the toilet, through the Pub. The vampire didn’t stop him. But when Nico reached the door (to get out of the suffocating atmosphere), a hand took his wrist and the boy pressed a folded piece of paper into his palm. He didn’t say a thing and shoved it in his pocket.

 

“Jason. What is right and what is wrong?”

“Why ask?”

“Thought you would know”

Jason took a concerned look at Nico, trying to read him. Nico knew because he was reading him back. Jason was his comrade, who held the pieces of his heart that had died inside him. In a platonic way.

“To me, right is what I do to protect my family, my friends and people I love”.

“You cheese ball”.

‘ No really, things that I do for them, not for my own good” Jason answered sincerely.

Nico can see the happiness in his eyes, unlike Leo, Jason found joy in freedom. Piper agreed to “take a break” and "see if we are really meant to be". Because they both know their relationship couldn’t happen unnaturally like that. Thanks to Hera, Jason couldn’t recall how he felt for Reyna and failed to make Piper happy at the same time. Nico said they are now the Afraid-of-love team.

“But doesn’t that mean you will do whatever to see them happy and seeing them happy is actually for your own good?” NIco asked.

“My brain hurts.” Jason let out a groan " But at least you have a clue now."

Nico had a feeling that he had learnt more than he intended.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Basic factors for a nice, healthy life:
> 
> Number 1  
> Number 2  
> Number 3: Knowing what is right and what is wrong.  
> Number 4: Reunions.  
> etc.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Here comes the blood lust. Or should I say: Percy.

Nico was out of sunscreen. Funny, he said he would try to be a better man but only when his bootle was empty, did he think of his sister

He glared at the bottle as if by that he could have glared directly at himself but instead he saw his sister.

_**Hazel** _

She was smiling, the smile that could warm anyone up, even the goddess Khione. Her gold eyes shone bright, but the sadness could still be seen inside. If his obsidian eyes had glints of madness then her gold eyes were pure sadness. Not anyone could read them though. Cinnamon brown hair cupped her face gently as she told him how much she cared and wanted to be with him.

Nico used to feel bitter about how the sadness was washed away when Hazel was with Frank. Now he felt like a huge jerk. He didn’t understand the pain of an unrequited love (although he had one). He said he loved her, but didn’t care about her enough to stop running away, to stay by her side. 

Nico, the only family she got left.

The bottle landed with loud thud, woke him up from his vision. Nico realized his hands were trembling and he tried to blink away a few tears. No point in crying like a baby. He needed to take action.

So Nico blended into the shadows just to realize his shadow-travel skill had become less precise when he ended up in cabin 13. Hazel wasn’t there but it was clear she had tried to light up the room. The window was widely open and Hazel obviously had changed the curtains from dusty black to light violet. She had also washed the mattress and blankets. The room was smelled like strawberries and softener. There were drawings of Arion, Pegasis, Frank, him and her friends spread on a bunk bed. Nico promised himself to give her feedbacks when they met. Definitely good ones.

So, he stepped outside.

Camp hadn’t changed much since the War. There was a strangely peaceful, yet boring atmosphere surroungding camp. Instead of fearing death and all sorts of danger, new campers were too eager to go on quests, fight monsters, proving themselves. They don’t understand the long-standing anxiety and fear of the older generations. That led to countless fights due to conflict between them, according to Jason.

By the way, Hazel was with Piper on a picnic somewhere in the Half-blood hills. Nico managed to say hello to a few friends and he didn’t find Hestia. Others just gave him dirty looks.

And when Nico was about to do something that clearly didn’t involve Percy Jackson, the son of Poseidon showed up.

“NICO!” he shouted, running towards Nico. 

If Nico were on a TV show, his long lines of curses would be much more epic than Gordon Ramsay’s. He made the fastest shadow travel of his life, tried not to look at Percy’s emerald eyes. But darn, they haunted him already.

 

“Edward? Edward!”

It took Nico a few minutes to stop blinking and slap Leo’s hand away. The mechanic laughed, heading back to his working table. The smell of grease and the sounds of machinery told Nico that he had traveled to Bunker Nine.

“What are you doing here?” Nico asked, glancing around.

“Working. I was supposed to be hanging out with friends but Calypso was out with Piper and I couldn’t find Jason.” Leo shrugged as he pulled out a drawer. He held out a box.

“What’s that?” Nico asked, frowning.

“Your fang covers! What. You were expecting a wedding ring?”

Nico scowled even more, trying to read the mechanic. He was joking, wasn’t he? Nico trusted Jason, so Leo couldn’t have known. He reached out for the box but Leo yanked it away.

“Nico, you realize the moment I give you these, you may be powerful but you are also capable of killing the people you love, do you?” Leo had never look _that_ serious.

“I know”

“Just don’t let me regret this, okay?” Leo said firmly as he handed over the box.

“I’ll try” Nico gripped the box tightly.

 

Not until Nico had returned and sat on his bunk bed did he admire Leo’s work. The fang covers were simple, yet the Latino had created delicate details and slots so that they won’t fall out. They were sharp enough to puncture a hole on Nico’s thumb, the dark liquid trickled down when he was not careful. A few drops landed on the door, dark enough to darken his future vision.

_What if he hurtHazel? Jason? Percy? Everyone?_  
 _What if he weren’t supposed to be surrounded by friends, by family, by amanto?_  
 _What if he were nothing but a filthy person, a filthy monster?_  
 **_What if…_ **

Nico hugged his head, panting. His head was throbbing, aching. Nico shut his eyes, mentally trying to curse himself as he realized he had been walking directly ** _under the sun_** without any sunscreen.

 _Stupid_ he thought when he collapsed, his head hit the side of a bed.

_One,_   
_One, two,_   
_One, two, three,_

“Nico”

_One, two, three, four,_  
 _One, two, three, four, five,_

“Nico”

Nico didn’t open his eyes, but his other senses were becoming aware of what was happening. He could smell the scent of salt, sweat, and the sea. He could hear the worry, the confusion in the voice calling him. He could feel the warm of the hand stroking his back, his face. He tasted…something disgusting in his mouth.

If only he hadn’t opened his eyes.

With one swift move, he managed to push the green-eyed boy, straddle him and give him a strike in the head. Nico didn’t understand his sudden aggressive behavior, but Nico had a really bad feeling about this. He heard the other boy yelled in surprise and pain, and he could feel the blood on his fist. 

“N-Nico, what the hell!” Percy groaned.

“Why are you here?!” Nico could feel himself leaning closer, aiming for the neck. Not good, not good.

“You didn’t hear me calling so I spent the day trying to find you. Then I stepped into the cabin and saw you on the floor. I noticed that your head was bleeding but I didn’t expect you to make mine bleed as well” Percy swallowed

Well, shit.

If Nico couldn’t find something to talk about right now, thing would get so terrible. But what could he say? He hadn’t even prepared to face the son of Poseidon, and here they are, practically doing something…that was inappropriate. Very inappropriate.

Nico could feel Percy’s heart pounding beneath his skin, the blood rushing through his veins, pumping vividly. His neck, which was exposing its long line, was too tempting to be refused. Nico felt his mouth slightly open, he was leaning so close that their nose were touching, Percy’s breath tickled his lips. What was he aiming for?

“Piper, help! I can’t open the door”

“Are you sure you didn’t lock it?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter, Hazel


	5. Hazel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A few days of peace with his sister, Nico wanted that so much. Why couldn't he have it?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am sorry for not having updated. Because suddenly a certain person told me that this piece was meaningless, and I spent time thinking if I could make it even better. Now I am back, and I will try to update the next chapter this Thursday. Thank you and I must warn you that this won't be the last time I said sorry to you guys.

Honestly, Nico didn’t find it embarrassing if his sister found out that he was tangled with his crush, who was Percy Jackson. He tried to scrambled away because he felt like he was inappropriately making use of Percy, and the son of Hades was surprised that he no longer wanted to bite Percy. Nico stopped stuggling, then stared at Percy’s eyes with a feeling slowly rising in his stomach. Percy didn’t seem to understand what was happening, he looked back with confusion. 

The world seemed to slow down when Hazel finally managed to get in and pulled him away from Percy. Nico felt hazy and he may have fainted. The echo of Hazel’s voice was the last thing he heard: _“What Did you Do to him!”_

After three days to recover from the effect of the sun, Nico explained clearly what happened between him and Percy to Hazel without telling her about his other part. Hazel seemed to believe him, even though he hadn’t told her anything about his vampire self and what-only-Jason-knew. Seeing his sister being so worried and fussing over him, the pang of guilt in his stomach grew bigger. Nico decided to spend as much time with her as possible, given that he would have to be very careful.

The Underworld siblings enjoyed themselves through Camp’s activities, since Hazel had barely come and Nico only went to camp to check up on Hestia. They didn’t know about climbing the wall with lava pouring down, or they could make their own bronze weapons with the Hephaestus campers. Hazel suggested trying the pegasis, but they didn’t like them so Hazel huffed dramatically and called for Arion. Arion humiliated the winged horses so badly that Percy had to calm them down. Nico also found out that Percy had been trying to avoid him ever since that night and that gave him a bitter taste in his mouth. He put that aside and tried to focus on Hazel as much as he could.

 

 

One night…

They were about to go to bed, Hazel had changed into her white satin pajamas then insisted that Nico shouldn’t sleep in his jeans because she thought it would be uncomfortable. Nico told her that he didn’t have any pajamas and Hazel put it on the list that they would go get Nico some tomorrow.

As Nico was crawling into his bed, he saw Hazel putting away her paintings and decided to carry out his self-promise.

“Hazel?” He asked, as the lights was off and he couldn’t see his sister’s face ” You’re still awake?”

"Yeah, I think I’m too happy to even sleep these days” she chuckled slightly.

“About your paintings, they are very beautiful.” 

“Really?” her voice suddenly sounded muffled

Nico couldn’t tell when did he go to sleep that night because he stayed up, talking about the colors, the backgrounds of Hazel’s pieces. He was not a real fan of art, but he hoped she got the message that he really liked them and admired Hazel for her talents.

Hazel didn’t get to buy her brother some pajamas. That morning when she asked Nico to spar with her, he refused. She didn’t get why, but she still kept on her sword fight with Clarisse, Frank’s sister. Unfortunately, she got a gash on her forearm and Nico, who was sitting with the fake dummies, snapped up his head. She didn’t remember anything but his blood-red eyes and a side she had never known about him after that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am sorry.


	6. K

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vampire lessons 101, although Leo was definitely not the teacher this time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I might have said I would update on Thursday...

Nico wanted to sleep forever and forget everything. But that would be like staying in Lotus Casino and he resented that. But he needed sleep and the smell of coffee, milk didn’t help him with staying awake. Feeling drowsy and slow, Nico folded his arms on the table and let himself being carried into thoughts at Starbucks at five in the morning. 

He fled from camp again three months ago, loathing himself as he lost control. How could he lunged for his own sister like that, all blood-thirsty and uncontrollable then expected to be forgiven only because he had managed to stop in time? Yet, she did forgive him before he could even beg her and Hazel flooded him with apologies when she found out he was a vampire. After that, she worked with Piper and also knew that Percy was his crush, too. Nico had no idea how his sister could have, and he felt sorry for not being able to tell her on his own. The Ghost King promised that he would spend time with her again when he knew how to gain control over his own body and figured out this whole vampire thing. Hazel suggested that he should learn from another vampire and Nico knew no one but the guy that had turned his life upside down. 

The blond vampire was not the only person who made his world spin around because Percy was the first. Nico recalled the moment when he was straddling the son of Poseidon, and felt a pang of pain in his stomach. At that exact moment Nico realized that maybe his feelings for Percy wasn’t as simple as he thought it was, because he could have closed his eyes and replaced Percy with some partners if there were not something special he felt for Percy.

Even when he totally had the chance to force what he wanted on Percy, Nico didn’t take it. The son of Hades wondered if there were any goodness inside him, or he was truly having feelings for the green-eyed demigod that Nico didn’t dare to. 

Nico knew Percy had been more concerned to him than others, although that couldn’t be called much so he couldn’t help feeling lost when Percy avoided him. It was like either having a special little thing that you didn’t crave for too much or didn’t hate it. So when you lost it, you could still move on but would never forget it. 

Nico wondered if he had the right to chase after things he lost, the people he loved. Hazel seemed to look up to him, to believe in him like one good big brother that he was not. Nico couldn’t understand how she could still love and forgive him while bringing her back from the dead was the least he could do. But if she were right about him being good, why couldn’t Nico appreciate himself? 

 

Suddenly his left cheek grew hot rapidly and Nico’s head jerked up to see the blond vampire who was pressing a paper cup of mocha latte against Nico’s pale cheek. The boy was in the same outfit when he first met Nico, looking a little annoyed when he handed Nico the mocha latte the demigod usually ordered. Nico wondered why, because the vamp sounded like he had expected for Nico to call by the number on his small piece of paper.

“Do you know, calling a vamp to Starbucks when the sun was coming out was very rude?” he asked, sat down in front of Nico.

“I wouldn’t have if you hadn’t turned me into a vampire!” Nico snapped, he forgot having told himself to stay calm when he saw the vamp.

“And how could you possibly stand the sunlight?” he asked, pointing at Nico's hand.

Nico turned to see the first rays of sunlight to was landing on his left hand, the skull ring sparkled on his middle finger. He remembered having bought loads of coconut sunscreen when Hazel and he was having the best days. It had only been three months away and he already felt like it was a very long time ago. 

It turned out that sunscreen didn’t have the same effect to other vampires like it did for him. After a talk, the vamp helped Nico realize that he was very different from other vampires the blond had seen before. Nico made sure he didn’t mention his divine lineage and asked for help from the vampire surprised to see the guy agreed without reluctance. Even the dumbest person in the world could tell that the vampire felt as interested in him as a strange, peculiar specimen.

“So what can I call you before we begin our training program?” the blond wore a slop-sided smile when he asked Nico, his firgers tracing the bottle of sunscreen.

“Why don’t you introduce yourself first?”

“ Fine , call me ‘K’ if you want” 

“I meant your real name”

“Come on, why should you know? You don’t even want to have anything to do with me! I only need to know what to call you, in cases.”

Nico was a little bit taken aback because he only had one nickname that was completely relevant with his Greek side. Looking at his coffee, Nico decided to let K call him ‘mocha’.

 

Traveling around with K was not so uncomfortable but Nico, again, didn’t feel like he belonged. If he had to hide the fact that he was a vampire among campers and friends then now he had to cover his demigod powers, which he was not even afraid to use in front of mortals to chase them away. The world was so complicated, he couldn’t take risk to let to different worlds collided into each other.

K and Leo somehow share resemblance in their humor, but K was giving out some sort of pessimistic energy, which reminded Nico of some gods. Being immortal and watched the people he loved slowly grew old and died, it must have been hard on K but Nico couldn’t help feeling not affectionate with the vampire. Was this what Percy felt about him, understanding but still unable to get any closer?

K tested his blood-lust resistance skills by the weirdest ways Nico could have ever imagined. He didn’t know whether K’s sense of humor was popping out at the wrong moments but he tried to follow the instructions. Maybe the mix of blood made Nico more powerful, he could easily accomplish each challenges that K came up for him.

 

Still, there was one night when K accidentally spilled out a little of his past. He asked Nico if Nico had remembered him, which only confused the son of Hades. K quickly drifted into sleep after that ( or he could have pretended to ) and Nico was sure that the guy was living in the same past time and could even have met him when Nico was with his mother. He didn’t press K on the subject after that.

 

Their agreement ended on a day when a monster found them training in the woods. The beast looked like a bear but its size was incredible. Its red eyes stared at Nico with pure hatred. K stood on its way, blocking it from Nico. The son of Hades knew this monster was as Greek as tragedies , he must not let K be involved. 

They restless tried and succeeded in defeating the bear, K having no idea why a bear suddenly showed up to attack them but he certainly had figured out that Nico was hiding something from him. Something ancient and hard to believe, K didn’t want to find out. 

Nico knowing how close the two mythical world had been, he decided to leave K’s side after telling him it was no longer safe. K agreed, and the last thing he said to Nico was: “Remember to take care of yourself, Neeks” before the blond was enfolded by the darkness.

But how could K have called him ‘Neeks’ if he didn’t know his real name was Nico?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wonder if you guys liked K and wanted to know more about him? But if you don't, don't worry! Please leave some comments because I loved reading from you guys!


	7. Percy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Taking a walk will do you good, Percy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Are you guys excited?!?! Long time no see Percy!

Percy was walking on the street of New York in a blue hoodie when he saw someone looking very familiar in Starbucks. Actually, it was the aviator jacket that helped Percy recognize Nico di Angelo because the boy was pressing his face against his folded arms. His post shouted out that he was desperately in need of coffee.

Suddenly, Percy found himself frozen at the middle of the way, people shuffling past him without even a glance. He was trying to resist the instinct to rush over Nico and just say hi. That confused Percy even more when he realized that he usually wanted to see Nico whenever he was at camp. Now, something had stopped him from doing so.

 

Percy sighed and pressed his face against the cool glass of the coffee shop, staring down at sleeping Nico. Since that accident in the Hades cabin, when he thought Nico was taking his anger and frustration on him, Percy suddenly had this weird thought that he should let him. It was like he never actually had the chance to make it up to what he had done to Nico. Voicing apologies and welcoming him whenever Nico showed up, that was not enough because everyone else also deserved that. If he had considered that an appropriate way, it meant he would have treated Nico unfairly, like Hera and some other campers. 

That was why Percy thought they should sort things out as clearly and honestly as possible. He didn’t find the chance so he wanted to talk to Nico about it first. Then Nico pressed him down and was about to beat the shit out of him, right? Maybe, fighting was the only way to resolve the tension that had always occurred around them because he didn’t think he was good with words enough to soothe Nico. But then the black-haired stopped, and Percy could clearly felt like Nico was having an urgent need. Percy could have imagined that, yet he did notice Nico acting a bit strange. 

Still, he didn’t avoid Nico for that. He stayed away because at that exact moment, the son of Poseidon bore a dangerously inappropriate thought that was unforgiveable. The thought that he actually wanted to…to be with Nico was messing him up because the green-eyed wanted to be more than friends.

He banged his head against the cool glass, feeling frustrated. Percy couldn’t let a spark of a feeling affect him like that as if Nico hadn’t had enough of his trouble. Aphrodite told Percy that she would make his love life interesting. Well, as interesting as rotten tofu. 

 

Nico was looking at Percy with wide eyes, his bangs slightly brush over aside when the green-eyed realized he had approached the coffee shop without knowing. Seeing the waitress’s smile when her eyes cast over him and Nico, Percy knew how foolish he had looked like, he wanted to keep banging his head against the glass. Now that Nico had seen him, he couldn’t run away like a coward. He just had to go in there and said his apologies again then…

Nico hooked his arm around Percy’s neck, completely startled the guy not only because of the gesture but also because of his chilling attitude. The other demigod was holding only a cup of Mocha latte, and Percy was glad as he was not a fan of coffee anyway.

After a few small talk, they were walking side by side and Percy’s mind was unable to tell his eyes not to steal small glances from Nico. The Italian seemed to be more relaxed and confident as if he had been through something Percy could hardly understand. Percy already thought that there was a side of Nico that he had never known and his theories were clearly confirmed when Hazel started hiding from him, too! He wished he knew more about Nico to pull out a subject since walking with him silently like this was making Percy feel nervous somehow.

“Percy, Percy! Neptune to Percy!” 

“Huh?”

Nico was standing very close to Percy now, waving his hand in front of him. Percy chuckled nervously because he could feel his face growing hot.

“Why not Earth to Percy? Do I look like some kind of aliens?”

“Hope not. This world is crazy enough without space creatures” Nico rolled his eyes and looked at the sky accusingly “Though I must say you look a little green. What’s been going on for you?”

 

Percy Jackson. Demigod. Son of Poseidon and Sally Jackson. Who wanted to laugh at himself. Because now he was nervous from talking to Nico, just like how Nico had nervously answered him whenever they talked at camp. At least Nico didn’t blush.

Nico seemed to be comfortable and finally moved on with his life. Percy just felt like something inside him was gone, too. He suspected it was due to his thinking that he usually tried to cheer Nico up plenty times after the War and succeeded. Now Nico was happy without him. 

Percy scowled at his own selfish thoughts.

“So how is Hazel?”

“She’s good, but I had a feeling she and Piper was hiding something away from me.” Percy scratched the back of his neck since it was really itchy. Nico didn’t say anything and turned away for five seconds.

It turned out, the best subject to talk about was their families. Percy didn’t have the chance to see Sally and Bob because they left for a vacation and left a note on the door. He missed them, but he was fine with that and Paul probably would need a break since the school year was rushing towards him.

Nico asked him if he were to study at Paul’s school again and Percy told him about his intention. He would rather be educated in New Rome, where he could see and help Frank with his praetor’s work. Percy stopped when he had to mention Annabeth. She was his first love so he couldn’t just forget her, but Percy wished he could forget the reason why they fell apart. And it was definitely not because of Reyna, he had to thank her for taking care of Annabeth by the way. Nico didn’t seem to know about the break up, because he flinched and then said nothing.

 

That night when only two of them sitting next to each other on the sofa, watching a movie called ‘The Host’. Percy didn’t pay much attention, and he doubted Nico did. 

“Hey Nico, I’ve been wondering. What you do you want people to see?”

“Excuse me?” Nico’s eyebrow quirked up, Percy didn’t feel annoyed seeing him like that. 

“I mean, you used to be this kid that loved Mythomagic cards and you were very happy” Percy swallowed when Nico’s narrowed his eyes. “And then you were very sad and angry, you were only confident on battle but you are insecure about yourself and things around you. You had difficulties in finding friends and some of them are afraid of you.”

“Jackson, if this…”Nico opened his mouth but Percy interrupted him.

“And now you are this amazing guy who was very content and confident, you even look hot and attracted all the ladies we were walking past this morning! I may want to, but I haven’t known much about you yet! It’s very difficult for me to see my family and friends changed, when I was just…stuck.”

Nico’s feature softened but Pery didn’t dare to look at him for too long. He turned away and stood up, heading for the window in his room for some fresh air. He hoped Nico didn’t follow him. He saw the pot in which the Moonlace used to bloom like crazy. The plant was now dead like her crush on him. The goddess moved on and she reasonably had the right to be mad at him. Or threatened him with a scissor and could only be stopped by Leo. He deserved all of that.

“You know, leaving me with all the popcorn to finish and empty cans to throw away won’t be appreciated”

Nico was standing at the doorway, as if he was waiting to be invited into the room. He was as tall as Percy now, his lean body pressed against the door with hands in his jean pocket. The aviator jacket once too big now fit him perfectly as the son of Hades has gained muscles. Percy decided that he liked it when Nico quirked up his eyebrow then noticed that his obsidian eyes had a cold red glint in them. He didn’t know how it was possible for the shade of red to make him feel cold so Percy put that aside.

Nico entered the room when he saw the other nodded. Then he bent down until his lips are next to Percy’s ears.

“Just, think of me as the version you like best” he whispered “And I’m ready to help you with your problem”

Nico smiled and walked away, probably heading for the sofa when Percy blushed furiously, hands flew up to cover his red, tingled ears.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I may update tomorrow. Key word: 'may'
> 
> Because I had school tomorrow and can't guarantee anything. But please leave comments, I love reading from you guys!


	8. Thalia

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> when it snowed in August, you could probably blame Khione.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Fates were never fair.

Percy would rather fight Thalia because of having lost at Capture the Flag than fight her now.

It was a strange morning when they faced three monsters already on their way to the food stall. One harpy which tried to rip Nico’s hair off his head, and two Cyclops who said something about _‘The Wanted’_. Percy would prefer ten Cyclops to Thalia.

Percy didn’t realize the Huntresses were aiming for them until Nico pulled out a silver arrow from the tree nearby .He was pretty sure they were in the park, not the forests so what had made them the prey? Nico suddenly looked very frightened and worried, as if he knew something like that would happen. They didn’t manage to escape before being surrounded by huntresses whose eyes were as cold as ice, silver arrows sparkled on their drawn bows. Nico had already unsheathed his Stygian sword with its black shade that contrasted the white aviator jackets, his eyebrows furrowed and his teeth clenched. Suddenly Percy noticed that the boy next to him had strangely long fangs, which didn’t help Percy with feeling less clueless.

Thalia showed up, walking into the circle. If there were one way to look at Thalia Grace, you would have to scan her as if you were on your knees. You would notice her combat boots were rather smeared with mud or blood of some unidentified creatures first. Then Aegis, the horrifying shield seemed to suck your eyes out with the gaunt face sticking on it, an example for a gory death that you might face if you were the owner’s enemy. The crown was slant on her choppy jet black hair, stating that she wouldn’t give a fuck at nonsense so you better start speaking with care. Thalia’s face was like the weather in Melbourne, changing from the happiness she had from seeing two friends into the stony face of someone who was working like a pawn. Pained and emotionless. 

_“Why was she looking like that?”_ Percy wondered as he uncap Riptide, eyes still glued on Thalia.

“Percy, please, make it quick. Come over here, stay away from di Angelo” she said with a calm and forceful voice, yet her startling blue eyes were begging him.

“What? No, why are your girls surrounding us? What’s happening?”

The Huntresses didn’t seem to like being called ‘girls’ so they made growling noises. Nico was making the same noise, too.

“You don’t know what’s happening?” Thalia asked, she hadn’t even casted a look at Nico.

“What?” Percy snapped then turned around to Nico, who was standing back to back with him “Nico, stopped your growling, you are-“  
He shut up when Nico glared at him with his scarlet eyes, looking as cornered as a wounded beast. Thalia took the chance and grabbed him, quickly dodged the swing from Riptide and thrusted him aside. Percy landed on his back, making contact with the cold, soft snow. When did it even snow? It was only early August.

The three huntresses surged towards and surrounded him, as if intended to prevent him from attacking Thalia. He could only see what was about to happen through the small gaps between them.

“What happened to you, di Angelo?” she asked “How come we have to hunt you down?”

 **“I did nothing!”** Nico snapped.

 **“What have you become?!?”** Thalia roared so low that she startled Percy, who had trouble understanding the whole thing that was happening in front of him. The Huntresses hunted Nico down because he became hot and happier!? Percy didn’t understand but his sense was telling him that Thalia didn’t want to kill Nico, if she had then the fight would have started. He swept his legs when the Huntresses were still dazed by Thalia’s indignant roar, causing two of them to fall over. The third shot an arrow but he turned away fast enough. He stood up, the Huntresses were about to attack Percy when Thalia shouted her command :” Hold your positions!”

“Why are you doing this, Thalia?” Percy would have thought that time had frozen if it weren’t for the Nico’s heavy breathing. “What’s wrong with him?”

Thalia looked at him with a pained look, her electric blue eyes were shouting the truth which Percy didn’t know. He remembered whenever Thalia saw him and Annabeth , she always invited them for some cheeseburgers. They used to be so glad to see each other that Percy didn’t dare to imagine such a encounter. Like this one happening now.  
Another girl spoke up, looking at Thalia challengingly “That friend of you was a vampire, you idiot!” she wore an annoying smirk as she stepped up closer. Thalia didn’t stop her, which worried Percy. 

Percy wanted to believe that he was on air, all the gods making fun of him for being the biggest joke ever on their godly TVs. How could such creatures like vampires exist when Kelli the cheerleader said that the myth was from her kind, the Empousas? Wasn’t it crazy enough when he found out about the Greeks and Romans? Should Percy even get used to finding out mythical worlds? Nico certainly didn’t look like Kelli (no metal leg), but he could be mistaken with the cast of a vampire movie. Hell, if this were one big joke, Percy would never set foot out again. 

“You think this is some kind of joke, don’t you?”Nico shouted at Percy, making the green-eyed flinch.” I know this is stupid and messed up, but I am a vampire! Now you know! I got bitten so I turned into this mess, into this amazing and confident guy you mentioned!”

Nico smirked and turned around abruptly, his eyes looked accusing “Guess the Fate were never fair” said Nico as he disappeared.

Some Huntresses fell from their feet, a bunch of arrows set in the snow. Thalia shouted a command as she chased behind the traces Nico left on the snow. Nico didn’t disappear! He fled so fast, the only clue of him having run was the footprints. 

Others tried to stopped Percy, but he managed to take them down while still wondering about how could they send such few Huntresses. The snow was still shallow, it seemed unnatural and Percy suspected the snow only spread wherever he ran. Percy kept running, wanting to punch Nico in the face. He knew how unfair and rude that sounded but Percy was so tired of being oblivious all the time. 

He heard Thalia shouting, and hoped the fight hadn’t begun yet. The howling of the wolves echoed through the cold air, Percy saw how come they not showed up with the Huntresses earlier. It was one big trap to capture Nico, the half blood vampire whatever. Percy felt frustrated as the snow slowed him down, his nostrils wanted to freeze due to having inhaled the cold, dry air. The Huntresses were still after him, shouting while shooting their arrows. Percy had always wondered how the chased in movies could run without being pierced by arrows or bullets and did they have some kind of tricks? The answer, now he knew, was to keep running and not to look back.

Suddenly Percy couldn’t hear anything. He stopped, breathing heavily. His surrounding was now completely white, covered with snow. No other sound apart from his breathing was made, which gave him a feeling like he was being watched. Percy didn’t see any sign of being chased anymore so he moved forward, cut down some snow-covered branches in front of him just to see Thalia and the other girl lying unconscious. Thalia looked like she had been thrown hard and hit the tree behind her while the other girl was sitting with her limp shoulders. Percy was wondering about waking them up, but then a gory sound attracted his attention.

He crouched down behind a bush and saw a pack of unconscious wolves. The leader was making its hopeless attempted to attack Nico, howling in vain as the vampire pressed it down and brutally broke its neck. Percy’s hand flew up his mouth to muffle the yelp that had managed to escape, Riptide turned into its pen shape and sank it the snow. The clanky sound of the sword when it changed made Percy wanted to curse himself when Nico turned around abruptly. In his pathetic demigod life, Percy had seen many awful things that he never forgot. Seeing Nico, someone he regarded as an ally and a friend who fought with him side by side, sank his teeth into the wolf’s throat made Percy wanted to vomit. 

“Come out, I know you’re in there” Nico said, as he wiped the smeared blood on his mouth. 

Percy stomped forward, approaching Nico without thinking and punched him in the face. Nico didn’t react fast enough so he fell backwards. Percy couldn’t regain his composure immediately, he kept shouting.

“How could you! You never told me! I’m sick of being in the dark all the time and that is the least abnormal thing in my life! What’s wrong with you?” Percy knew he was sounding stupid.

“Yeah? Excuse me, I don’t tell a person about me being a vampire when we’d just met after such a long time. Especially, when that person was my first crush!” Nico pulled out some weird covers from his fangs, they looked like celestial bronze. He spit out something looked like blood, his nose crunched as the scene. Percy seriously didn’t understand.

“Don’t move, both of you!” a female voice sounded, followed by the sound of a drawn bow. Thalia was facing both of them, her arrow aiming at Nico’s head. 

“So Nico is on the list of what Artemis wants to hunt?” Percy asked, his anger was still stirring “A monster?”

Nico smirked sinisterly, hands in his pocket “Not only Artemis, the gods were searching for me after I left K. It seems like they consider me a threat to Olympus!” 

“Even monsters are sent to track him down. Sometimes they got in our way” Thalia continued, eyes glued on Nico.

“Who’s Kay?” Percy asked.

Thalia let out a groan and Nico rolled his eyes. It was almost like that time when they had to find the sword of Hades. 

“He has caused so much trouble, we are ordered to kill him without asking for permission” Thalia grunted. Percy’s eyes widened.

“What? After what he has done for us, for them?” Percy looked at the sky with resentment. Nico glanced at him.

“You shouldn’t be so surprised” the snow hardened beneath them and they all were trapped in it as a lady appeared. She looked very pretty but her brown eyes were cold, they felt like frostbites. Thalia muttered _‘Khione’_ and Percy knew all of them were in trouble. 

This snow goddess once sided with the Giants and Gaea’s force according to Leo, Khione’s evil. And she was here to capture Nico, that meant Nico could be used as a living weapon. Percy clenched his teeth, pulled out Riptide from his pocket. The sword appeared with a sound that usually threatened his enemies, and Khione’s nose crunched up in disgust.

“Percy Jackson, you should know how unfair and treacherous the gods are” She said, her tunic flowing around her.

“This is not the deal, you are not supposed to show up until we lost control” Thalia accused.

“Your pitiful huntresses already had, Thalia Grace” Thalia looked uncomfortable when the snow goddess mentioned her last name.

Nico was trying to pull away from the snow all the time, the fang covers were back on his teeth again. Khione snickered, her brown eyes had an evil glint in them. She scooted over and lifted Nico’s chin up with a smug smirk. Nico turned away and Khione’s eyes hardened. She pulled his hair forwards, receiving a groan from the black -haired. 

“Now listen here you punk, I can just freeze you into an useless statue and carry you back had it not been for the gods” she frowned.

Percy stared at Thalia and she avoided looking at him "Thalia, I can't believe this. Please help us. Help him" Percy tried "Don't just listen to the gods. We're not like them"

She shook her head, defeated. Percy couldn't guess what had changed her during the time with the Huntresses. Khione smiled triumphiantly, the snow quickly spread from Nico's feet to his kneecaps.

Percy did something stupid. He swung and cut Khione’s pretty shoulder. The goddess roared in pain, which was not so lady-like. The snow melted incredibly fast into puddles, making Percy’s shoes wet but he didn’t care as the green-eyed dragged Nico with him. Nico shadow-traveled them away, leaving behind the angry goddess and Thalia, the huntress.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guys, I think we are reaching the end of this fic. Well, almost. I don't know if you guys considered my ending a happy one, but....don't worry , we still have 5 chapters ahead. Please leave comments!!


	9. Chapter nine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Percy, what will you choose? What will be your decision?
> 
> "More than friendship, less than lovers"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Careful guys. This fic may contain hints of some other ships that I didn't mention.

Chapter 9:  
It was hard to accept the truth, but Percy surprisingly coped with it well enough.

After having shadow-travelled them to safety, Nico disappeared without even a word. Percy was left behind like that. He had three days to resolve his anger, a day to fit the pieces in together. Not to mention the other two days, trying to contact Hazel through IM.

Thalia came to see him another day, no cheese burgers. Thalia was forced to do what she was told so as to ‘pledge loyalty to Artemis’. Briefly, if she didn’t comply, she would die. Percy understood, and couldn’t blame her. He was angry at Artemis, though. 

_**“If we destroy heroes who do us a great favor, then we are no better than the Titans. If this is Olympian justice, I will have none of it”** _

What happened to her?

 

 

Nico was somewhere he didn’t know. He had been running for too long, he no longer cared. Everyone was turning against him now. Campers from New Rome and Camp Half-Blood were on missions, trying to find him in vain. The gods were after him, too. Ares and Apollo, Nemesis and other forces who were thought to be unlikely to cooperate with the Olympians. Monsters, ancient beasts even had this belief about gaining his power through devouring him! 

Nico couldn’t contact Hazel, which was surprising because she had never declined a call from him. Must be the gods doing. No reaction from his father, as well. Hades might be working on the same strategy he had used on Hazel, keeping him safe by ignoring him. Nico couldn’t ask for more though.

His mind drifted back to those days when he left K, when the monsters and Huntresses hadn’t showed up. A time of his life when Nico could do whatever he wanted, living freely. The song “Best day of my life” used to be replayed so many times in his head, he had pictured that voice to be Percy’s. 

Percy, he wondered, how was him now? Had he joined in hunting Nico down? Was he surprised to find out about Nico having feelings for him? Percy said he was better than he used to be. Being confident and open, that was a three-month progress. Nico had been over the sexuality-problem long ago, he had no problem with Percy knowing how he felt only with how Percy had seen him with the wolf a month ago.

_“Just, think of me as the version you like best”_ Nico honestly didn’t know what to think of his own words.

He missed Percy, really did but being near Percy only put both of their lives at risk. Nico couldn’t afford that.

 

 

Percy would rather have taken the elevator than being grabbed by a giant hand which dragged him into the throne room of the gods. A giant hand which looked like it was made from clouds and smoke couldn’t provide him any kind of safety.

The gods looked at him with amusement. Ares let out a bark of laughter only to be sssshhhhhh-ed by Hera. Percy must have looked stupid since even Athena smirked slightly. He quickly got up on his feet and dusted himself off, glaring at everyone in the throne room. Hestia waved at him while no one else casted a glance at him.

“So, now that everyone is here, we shall get straight into the point” Zeus cleared his throat.

“Not everyone” Apollo muttered, looking annoyed.

Percy scanned the whole room and was surprised to find Hades, too. Hazel, Thalia, Jason approached him slowly, then Athena ordered them to stand in a circle. 

The atmosphere suddenly seemed stuffy, no gods made the first move. Athena was about to say something when Hades snapped. The Lord of the Underworld literally snapped, his eyes blazing an ancient anger and somewhat madness. 

**“WE SHALL NOT EXECUTE MY SON”** the god roared loudly, the throne room seemed to shake violently.

“We had already discussed this, Hades” Athena raised her voice “He was undeniably a threat to-”

“What’s going on?” Percy asked. He knew this was about Nico, but why are the children of the Big Three summoned?

All the eyes in the room were on him now for having interrupted Athena. The goddess looked offended but she regained her composure immediately. Zeus caught the look she was giving him and nodded, saying:”Speak now, Athena”

“As the counselor of Olympus, I declared that we had all agreed on how Nico di Angelo, son of Hades was a major threat to the existence of both mythical world, putting all beings from mortals, immortals, mythical creatures in danger” Athena said

“And those who did not agree were sent to Ogygia. Like my sister, Artemis” Apollo raised his voice and glared at Athena challengingly. Ares nodded in agreement while Hestia shook her head. That was what happened to Artemis, now Percy knew.

“And now the Huntresses have to take orders from Zeus” Thalia whispered angrily

“It was her decision not to be involved. Who else does not want to be so, speak up” 

Zeus opened his mouth and then closed it as Hera gave him a stern glare, Percy found this very worth-concerning. Hazel was muttering ‘Pluto’ under her breath, keep glancing at her father. Percy wondered if she and Jason were seeing the gods in their Roman versions. After the War, Hecate had provided a trick and once again deceived the vision of the demigods. That way, the gods wouldn’t be messed up with their different versions and the demigods could still see what they want to see.

Athena cleared her throat “The reason we summon you, the greatest of demigods at present, is to discuss with you about Nico di Angelo”

“You mean ask us if we would kill my brother!” Hazel exclaimed, her fists clenched as she shook from anger. Her spatha, which was hung on the side of her belt was shaking, too. Jason looked enraged, he was biting his lips, the small scar showing. 

“I would not put it that way. But since you have said it, let us get straight into the point” Athena glared at Hazel with her stormy grey eyes “Hazel Levesque, would you volunteer in capturing Nico di Angelo?”

“No!” she screamed.

“Well then” Athena waved her hand, didn’t even cast another look at the enraged daughter of Pluto. The three other demigods looked terrified when Hazel was surrounded in a black smoke then disappeared. Thalia screamed: “What have you done to her!?!” 

Percy tried to read Hades’s expressions, unfortunately he was not as good as Annabeth at doing so. The god looked like he was strained under great pressure. Somehow Percy was relief when he saw Hades like that, the god managed to keep his cool and that probably meant that Hazel hadn’t faced death yet. He hoped nothing terrible happened to her.

“Anyone wanted to join Hazel Levesque and Leo Valdez?” Athena asked, her voice stern.

“I’ll go” Jason stepped up, determination shown in his electric blue eyes ”If that means I had nothing to do with this godly plan of yours.” The blond looked at the gods accusingly. 

Percy didn’t know what Leo had to do here.

“Let me remind you that you will be imprisoned until Nico di Angelo was captured and executed” Hades clenched his fists as Athena spoke “-which may take…centuries. Ogygia, the indestructible prison of Calypso the Titan for aeons awaits you, Jason Grace”

“As for Thalia Grace, you could not refuse to our offer” another sinister smile” So the question lies on you once again, Percy Jackson”

“Err…would you mind not using my full name?”

The gods rolled their eyes dramatically, Athena looked at him with somewhat annoyance. Percy didn’t care what they thought of him, he just wanted to ease the unnecessary tension in order to talk the gods out of the idea. Aphrodite stood up abruptly, which was a good sign, Percy supposed.

“You can not do this, Athena. This demigod, Percy Jackson was very much of a tough case” Aphrodite spoke with confidence “He is in my realm, I have got plans for him”

Suddenly Aphrodite got on his nerves. His love life, Percy wanted to puke on it. No no no.

“You seem to think everyone is in your realm” Athena looked at the goddess of love.

“Love is powerful and ancient, love is for everyone” Aphrodite stated “Nothing can defy love”

The throne room fell into silence. But it wasn’t just some awkward silence, all of them seemed to be trying to recall the last time they felt true love. All forms of love, siblings, family, friendship…all were love. Percy didn’t want to interrupt the peaceful atmosphere, yet he had a feeling that if he didn’t question Aphrodite now, the butterflies in his stomach would kill him.

“Love, like my friendship with Nico, right?” he asked nervously. Aphrodite flashed him one of her beautiful smile but he still felt anxious.

“More than friendship, less than lovers” she sang” It all depends on you, my dear boy”

Percy wanted to say something but Athena interrupted him “I do not think he has proved to be Nico di Angelo’s friend yet. They have no chance”

“You would be surprised” Aphrodite said, sitting back on her throne calmly.

“We will talk about this later” Athena said and Aphrodite blushed furiously. Percy could see the fire in Ares’s eyes burn with fury.

He probably would say something stupid at this exact moment but he couldn’t think of anything. Hell, they were asking him to kill Nico!

The only one who sat emotionlessly was his father, Poseidon. His green intense eyes were fixed on Percy, as if trying to encourage him. 

“So what will be your decision, then?” Athena said, eyes searching for a sign of weakness.

“No, I won’t kill him” Percy answered, his head fell. 

“Very well-“ Athena waved her hand, Thalia grabbed both Percy and Jason’s wrists.

“If you do not mind, I wish to speak to my son” Poseidon bellowed.

“All are to be dismissed” Zeus said, with a low tone which made it clear that he wanted the “discussion” to end. Now.

 

“Son, this maybe the last time we see each other” Poseidon said “I want you to take this into serious consideration”

“Are you telling me to comply?” Percy looked at his father with disbelief.

“I want you to think carefully. The decision is yours” 

Percy remembered that time when he had just retrieved the Lightning Bolt, his father had said the same thing to him. He knew what to do.

“I thought enough, dad” he said “I won’t kill Nico”

“I respect that” his father said with a smile that Percy knew for sure was the smile his mother fell in love with. Poseidon looked serious again” Percy, you must know that there are things not meant to be mixed”

Percy nodded, he was still not so sure about its meaning and would think about what his father said later.

“The combination of darkness and water, one of the life forces that contrasts death was so scarce that the last time it happened, had been aeons ago” Poseidon said, his tone now filled with déjà vu when his eyes were fixed on a dark figure walking away from them. Percy flinched as he realized that his father was looking at Hades with sadness and wondered what had happened between them. Lord of the Dead disappeared with a look of ancient grief.

Percy found himself covered with black smoke and vanished into thin air.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so...  
> Athena/Aphrodite  
> Poseidon/Hades (aeons ago) 
> 
> what do you think? Please leave some comments because I really love reading from you guys!


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nico surely didn't harm anyone. So why were the gods hunting him down?
> 
> Hecate and The Mist's problems.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so Mormo here was actually a Greek creature! I was surprised, too! However, there aren't many documents about her.

_”Since Leo Valdez had managed to free Calypso from this dungeon, its magic has been hindered with curses. The barriers still remain, but they can not maintain their stability. Only one of us manages to get out if Valdez’s machine work.”_

_”Artemis, maybe you should be the one to escape. You once persuaded the gods not to kill me, you can do it again.”_

_”Ah, you see how I ended up here. My sister, she is not too easy to be convinced truly. Besides, children of Hades have never actually been treated fairly. Hazel Levesque, you should know.”_

_”I can’t go, they would never listen to me. I was the first one to be sent here. Okay, the second. Leo, don’t give me that look”_

_”Leo, last time your machine managed to transport both of you. Why can’t it this time?”_

_”Jason, my man, last time I had an automaton dragon! Now, they even took away my belt! If it weren’t for my father’s scrap, I wouldn’t be able to build up this babe”_

_”Maybe I can grab into the machine and go under water. Someone else can sit on it”_

_”That wouldn’t do. We can’t be sure about this stupid island’s magic. I can’t believe I came here the third time!!”_

_”My sister considers you as Nico di Angelo’s partner in crime, since you helped him with his fang covers. You may not do much if you return.”_

_”But Leo’s the only one who know how to work with this machine!”_

_”Don’t worry about that! I had set up the autopilot. You just have to tell the coordinates.”_

_”How does this work? And not with the mechanic language again.”_

_”Just sit on and it will take you across the sea like a boat. It also takes you straight to Nico when you’re finally on land, because I had it identify the fang covers. You’ll find Nico without fail”_

_”The sea is way beyond my scope. Percy, you should go.”_

_”Apart from his family, you’re the first one to know about Nico’s vampire self. He needs you.”_

_”I only knew because Thalia and her huntresses tried to kill us! He would not…”_

_”Percy, you saw Nico? He changed, he grew up, he let go off the grudges. You haven’t. Don’t be afraid to go to him. He considered you as a friend now.”_

_”How do you know? Athena said-“_

_”It doesn’t matter what Athena said”_

 

Thunder rumbled above of them.

 

_”Dude, Jason’s sister is angry. Come on, frogman, it’s time to go”_

_”Frogman?!?”_

 

 

 

 

Percy was still not so sure about how the machine worked. It looked like a gigantic sphere, big enough for one person to sit in. Being in his element, Percy could feel how fast the sphere moved and it was much faster than a boat could be, even faster than the Argo 2. So when he got out of the broken pieces which was still steaming, he was rather confused than dizzy which he should have felt. He stumbled out to find himself in the woods. Percy couldn’t tell whether it was in the morning or the afternoon with comfortable warmth from the sun. Not to bright and intense, Percy inhaled deeply and thanked Apollo mentally. 

He was supposed to find Nico immediately according to Leo, yet he was standing alone. The smell of earth and dry leaves was faint, Percy actually liked the dark yellow, brown leaves around him, not like the creepy wet kind of forest that he usually had to walk through in quests. The colors are varied with different shades of yellow and orange which Percy would have spent time to look at if he weren’t too worried about Nico. What if the sphere miscalculated and he ended up in Canada!? What if he didn’t manage to find Nico?!What if…

The trees started to rustled all of a sudden and the wind changed, sweeping through the forests and blew up piles of leaves. Percy had to turned away before a bunch of leaves scratched his face. The wind howled, sending cold shivers up to the green-eyed’s spine. The heavy sound of metal clashing at each other could be heard clear now, someone was fighting with tooth and nails since Percy could hear curses from a feminine voice. The air suddenly smelled sickly sweet and cold as clouds took over, the sun disappeared behind them. 

Percy uncapped Riptide, hearing the familiar ‘shrink’. From nowhere, Nico lunged at him.

Someone shrieked and Percy wasn’t sure if that were him. 

“Despicable!” 

The owner of the voice looked painfully skinny with hollow cheeks, yet she radiated fear and gory. She had two swords in her hand, eyes scanning the area rapidly and didn’t seem to care much about Percy. Nico who was thought to have lunged at Percy was nowhere to be seen. Percy was about to step away from her when Nico threw himself in front of Percy with his Stygian swords stained with blood and his teeth barred.

“Is that all you’ve got, Mormo!” the Italian bent his knees, ready for a new attack.

“Who’s Mo Mo?” asked Percy.

“Mormo. Servant of Hecate. Now you stay out of this Percy”

“How dare you call the name of my Mistress, you cursed bastard!” Percy noticed she had long fangs, too.

“Not another vampire!” he rolled his eyes and Nico’s narrowed.

“Not just a vampire. I am _**The Vampire**_. I am Hecate’s companion through the darkest night. I-“

Nico lunged forward, his sword raised. The vampire lady held on both of her swords, managed to deflect the strike. Percy tried to attack the vampire lady from behind, but she dodged fast enough and sent him flying until his back hit a tree. The pain shot up and Percy let out a wince.

“You id-, I told you to stay out of this!” Nico said, kept on fighting. The Lady attacked with no mercy. Percy knew for certain Nico was about to call him an idiot.

“Two against one, you cowards! I shall spare you if you surrender, Nico di Angelo!” scarlet eyes glaring at the son of Hades

“Hell, no! I’m not going to die today!” Percy could see the tall and lean figure raised his black Stygian sword.

“You have put my mistress’s powers and servants at risk! Now that both worlds collide into each other, The Mist will perish. War is inevitable, you ignorant brat!!!” the clash of metal sounded slightly heavier, as Percy was a fine swordsman himself, he could tell one of them started to run out of strength.

Nico didn’t say a thing as he continued slashing. What do you say when your existence is the threat to the world?

“Magic and Myths, they are omnipresent. You have nowhere to run, to hide. You will eventually kill. Innocent souls, demigods, your friends, they shall die because of you. Why not surrender?” the lady said. Nico froze and Percy could see the corner of the lady’s mouth twitched . She won.

The son of Hades suddenly dropped the sword, it hit the ground with a soft thud, as it was covered with brown leaves.

Nico should have gotten used to being told things like this! Why did he give up now when Percy was here, helpless? Did he want Percy to see him die!?

His back hurt like hell but Percy found himself standing in front of a defeated Nico, arms raised above to shield both of them. The lady didn’t slash down, staring at Percy impatiently.

“No, there’s got to be another way. He doesn’t have to die”

“Hah! So innocent you are, boy. That man must die”

Percy didn’t point out how Mormo had called him a boy but referred to Nico as ‘that man’.

“Excuse me but I came back from Tartarus alive. I’m anything but innocent” he said. 

“He was to be killed! You know nothing, demigod!” Mormo tried again.

“I understand clearly. He was not supposed to be involved in the world of werewolves and vampire, banshee stuff yadadda because that would make The Mist unstable” Percy said calmly “But I think you are similar to him. Why didn’t the gods kill you?”

“I am nothing like him!” Mormo glared at Nico, who was standing with his head fell behind Percy. His back **hurt**. Something must have been broken.

“Really, Greek Vampire Lady?”

“Percy, just let her do it. She’s right. I’m putting everyone in danger.” Nico croaked. And Percy suddenly saw the kid who had accidentally summoned two Spartacus when Percy told him he had failed to protect his sister. The kid who then sent them to the Underworld when he thought they were going to kill Percy. 

Ironically, son of Death had no intention of killing anyone but his enemies. Knowing the fact that all lives may be taken because of his existence, the whole situation sucks and Percy found it harder to keep the guy alive when Nico deliberately gave up his life.

“I was made Hecate’s servant when I was still an infant. Hecate technically prevented The Mist from falling apart because of the blood combination inside my body.” Mormo swallowed” My blood attracted both world’s attention so Hecate created a special barrier to shield me away from their attention.”

“That’s great! Nico, you can be like her, too!”

“No, Percy-“

“He’s right. No one would want to be like me. I bite bad children” she continued when Percy looked like he didn’t understand. He truly didn’t. “Like you, Nico di Angelo didn’t long for immortality. He understood how the gods has turned out after aeons. The concept of morality among other things he resented facing.”

Percy did remember something Frank told him after the Giant War. Something Mars said about death making people value life. The gods. Was that why they were cold-hearted?

“Let us get over with this, Percy Jackson. There is no way around” Mormo muttered.

“I’m sorry”

Mormo didn’t know whose apology was voiced when she disintegrated into golden dust. Well, another trip to a place where only monsters knew. That fact might have been changed by Nico di Angelo, Annabeth Chase and Percy Jackson. It took her decades to return last time, who knew how long would she be able this time? Mormo told herself to remember the names above. She would love to see what happened to them years later. Centuries, if Nico di Angelo made it.

 

It turned out that they were in Canada! Percy should have noticed the maples.

 

Nico shadow –traveled them into a cheap hotel room. His aviator jacket was being hung on a chair nearby, the son of Hades must have been here for a few days with the empty cans of Pepsi knocked over on the wooden table. The faint smell of cigarette hung up on the air, and Percy hoped Nico didn’t take up smoking.

Percy lost his balance and the back of his knees hit the edge of the small bed, he fell on his back. The mattress might be soft, but he just cracked his back or something so Percy let out a wince, again. Nico slowly lowered Percy’s back until he was comfortable enough on the bed. He scowled.

“What are you doing here?” he asked, his voice showed impatience and Percy wondered if he were a jerk to find that attractive.

“Just got out of Ogygia, the children of the Big Three are locked in there until you were captured.”Percy grunted when a jolt of pain from his back flashed through “Hazel was there, too”

Nico frowned” Like where Calypso was imprisoned?”His eyes widened “Ho-“

“Leo’s machine. Only worked for one person. Hazel told me to go and find you. They all wanted us to convince the gods and I tho-“

“Did you want to go, Percy?”

Percy closed his mouth as he looked up the looming figure in front of him. Nico got his hands in his jeans pocket, staring down at Percy questioningly. His hair was ruffled, cupping his face and made it looked darker. Percy didn’t know what to say because he knew exactly what Nico meant. He went for the son of Hades because Hazel and Jason told him to. The truth was, Percy never really know this guy standing in front of him. Not only because of his changes, but also because Nico wasn’t the kind of person who would sit down and talk about himself and all those feelings. He was more of an observant, independent and self-reliant guy who would stand in the dark and watch people and life go by. Could one agree to help a person who he didn’t understand at all?

Nico did something almost similar to that, he promised to Percy that he would lead the whole team to the Doors of Death. Percy, the guy who never actually noticed and cared much about him. Moreover, he said that was the least he could do.

“Well?” 

“I-“

“Never mind, just give yourself some rest when I go snatch something”

“But I…” Percy trailed of as Nico blended in the shadows of the room, a few rays of sunlight made their way through the windows which were blown slightly due to the cool breezes outside.

Percy was alone now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave some comments! School is coming and I don't know if I were able to finish this on time like planned.


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Be us against the world.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think this is a pretty long chapter.

Percy was dozing off when Nico crawled in the bed and tapped him on his shoulder. Percy turned, not so carefully so he winced when his back protested. Nico sighed and helped him until he was face down the mattres. Percy’s unwashed hair got in his eyes so Nico brushed them aside when he pulled out a bottle from his jean pocket. His nostrils took in the strong, repulsive smell of alcohol when Nico opened the lid. 

“It’s Chinese traditional liquor. For your back.” The vampire said with nonchalance when he put the lid on the edge of the bed

“Don’t you have ambrosia or nectar, because I am not going to drink that.“ Percy said when he saw what was in the glass bottle. He hoped that little scorpion wasn’t alive to cut his tongue off.

Nico pushed Percy’s camp T-shirt up to reveal the latter’s back, which must have had a large, ugly bruise on it because Percy heard the son of Hades let out a ‘tsch’. A rustling sound and Nico gave him three piece of ambrosia, the son of Poseidon proceeded to eat them at once. 

“You’re ready?”

Not waiting for an answer, Nico poured the liquor down and the green-eyed hissed at the cool sensation hit his bare skin. The calloused hand stroke his back quickly and Percy stopped tensing up, finally relaxed. 

“Do you feel anything? Or your skin is numb now?” Nico seemed to be tracing patterns on Percy’s back now. He was writing…

“Are you writing?”

“Uh no.” Nico’s hand flinched away” Percy, I’m gonna try something out. You might black out but your back will be fine” Percy honestly didn’t know if he should be worried about the ‘black out’ part.

Nico started slapping on Percy’s back with increasing rhythm and Percy was about to complain when he suddenly felt great pain. Yes, he did black out after that.

 

Nico made sure to carry out the massage right for Percy’s back. Since he had travelled to China many times before the Battle of Manhattan, Nico got a skeleton to teach him some ways of traditional healing instead of just relying on ambrosia and nectar. It had been a long time since he last used them, though. With a bottle of medicinal liquor, he nailed it.  
Percy woke up groaning, and in fear of something wrong, Nico slid his hand under to touch the son of Poseidon’s back, making sure that the backbone was fine. Percy blushed and pushed his hand away, telling Nico he was fine.

Was he uncomfortable? 

Earlier when he asked Percy if the hero had wanted to go back to find him, Nico was too afraid to hear the answer. He knew the son of Poseidon wouldn’t give some blunt and rude (also heart-breaking ) answers, Percy was a type of person who would try to help the people he didn’t care about that much so his answers might not help you at all. Honestly, Nico wanted to be more. To be special and hold a place in his heart. He knew that was hardly possible ever since the green-eyed was having memories trouble at Camp Jupiter. He didn’t have the heart to hear the answers which he knew he wouldn’t fancy hearing.

Nico had coped with it, why couldn’t he just stay to hear it out and clear from him now?

They hardly had time together like this, the last time it was for Percy’s wish to take up Achilles’s curse. Oh, Percy no longer trusted him since. Good memories. Couldn’t blame the green-eyed, Nico guessed.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Running away was something Nico was good at, he supposed. Running away with your crush was not so easy. Percy, who Nico thought would tell him to surrender or something in order to save the world, was the one who was more eager to move out every time Nico suggested. The green-eyed didn’t look too uncomfortable while shadow-traveling like he used to when he was fifteen and Nico was grateful for that. They never got to stay at anywhere for more than a week anywhere because apparently magic exists in every part of the world. There would always be monsters chasing them. Percy seemed to be amazed when Nico told him that he had learned how to say hello and goodbye in sixteen languages. Percy asked him if he knew about funeral traditions around the world, which was probably a good idea. Nico still glared at him warningly, though.

Percy really liked it when they came to Procida. He wore a blue artic shirt and every time he found a building with the same color, Percy would try to blend in with it and called that blue-travel. Nico was wearing his black usual clothes, so Percy teased him for being the darkest in the city. 

However, they did end up sitting next to each other on the dock, staring at the boats and sunset. Nico felt like it wasn’t a moment when they were too shy to even say anything or too dreamy like in those movies (yes, he watched everything. What else do you do when you ran away). It was quite a peaceful moment, and he didn’t want to ruin it. 

“Nico, have you ever been selfish?”

Of course, Percy had to say something. The last ray of sunshine was on his face now, his green eyes squinted a little. Nico took out the bottle of sunscreen and fiddled with it.

“Yeah, quite a lot” he muttered.

After what had happened with Mormo, he never did want to give up his life. Mainly because of his telling himself that everything wasn’t his fault and he had it bad now, The Fates should let him live a good life. Percy did try to talk him out of delivering himself to the Gods. He still didn’t know why.

“I am feeling like that” Percy said.

“Yeah?”

“What do you say if I want you to stay alive?”

“Percy, we are not talking about it here” Nico said sternly. Come on, Percy, let him enjoy the sunset (he had sunscreen on already, he really liked the view here, ok).

"But it’s different! I mean, before Ogygia I already thought it was unfair for you. Now, I thought the same and my feelings are affecting my thoughts, too.”

“Your feelings?” Wow, Percy sounded like a girl. Which was not bad. Strange but not too bad.

“They make me want to climb up to Olympus and shout at the gods or try to convince the Fates. You deserved to have it better. But damn, I feel more like doing something I want rather than carry out the right thing” Percy said, he was staring at the water beneath them. Percy lifted his index finger and Nico heard a small splash. Percy always played with water when he was nervous. Or sad.

“Yeah thanks”

They sat in silence. Percy stopped playing with water and sighed. The clouds had the shade of marigold on them.

“Do you want to live a life this way? Running all the time?” Percy asked.

“I’m fine. I’ve been running away a lot in case you don’t notice”

Nico wondered how long would it take for Percy to actually stop following him. The hero had his family, his friends, back in the U.S and like the person he was, he ought to miss them. Nico once thought of ditching him somewhere, but he couldn’t. Whenever he looked at the sleeping silhouette, all ready to shadow-travel, Nico could never leave him behind. Yes, that was definitely selfish.

“You are not.” Nico said.

“Huh?” Percy’s turned to look at him, head cocking aside.

“Percy, you are not fine. You need to go back to Camp. To your mother, Sally”

“What about you?” 

“You know…”

Gosh, their conversation had a lot of silence. A thought sparked up in Nico’s head like the glint of sunset in Percy’s eyes.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

“I can’t believe you did this” Percy said, his green eyes scanning the area with shock on his face. The trees looked familiar, the bench looked familiar. The buildings looked familiar. 

Of course, Nico shadow-traveled them back to Central Park.

“Why, get us out of here! Nico!” he grasped Nico’s jacket and started shaking him.

Nico rolled his eyes “Would you please stop whining and go to yo mama”

“Eh…”

“I think I got their accent” Nico cleared his throat “Percy, if you want to keep me company, at least tell your mother properly”

“I did!”

“Through Iris Messages and none of those last more than 3 minutes! Go!” Nico thought highly of Sally Jackson. That woman deserved much more credit. He wouldn’t tolerate Percy making Sally even more worried.

“Then you are coming with me!”Percy insisted, still grasping at his sleeve.

“Are you crazy, the mad worlds of Myths are looking for me. I’ll give you an hour.”

Percy nodded, looking rather ashamed of himself for not thinking thoroughly. He looked up and saw weird glint in Nico's obsidian eyes, which was not too scary like the first time he saw it.

Nico pulled him closer by the wrist and **kissed him**. It was a small peck on the lips, and he hoped the green-eyed didn’t panick. However, Nico felt like he would want to slap Nico for that.

Nico decided that he would head for Mc donald’s.

 

Percy hated stairs. They were long, tiring and probably would make you think of how you were kissed earlier  
Percy would want anything but thinking of Nico’s actions and their meanings. He had been doing so for the last six months. Despite traveling with him, Nico didn't usually share his plans with Percy. What annoyed Percy most was that Nico was unpredictable. He could hardly guess why did the son of Hades do what he did and why. Like the last six months, Nico had been very...affectionate. Sometimes he could feel the obsidian-eyed staring at him or when they had to share beds, Nico's arm would casually sneak to his waist. Or when they had that water fight, when Percy suddenly realized how they were soaked to their skin and he looked at Nico awkwardly. The ghost king stared right back with a crooked grin. Percy felt his face burning and he continued trotting up stairs.

He wanted to thank the Italian, though. Sally had had enough when Percy disappeared with amnesia and he didn’t want to take a guess on how she would react to his sudden disappearance and only contacted her less than three minutes per month. Paul never talked to him on IM, but Percy was sure the man would be upset.

Percy bent down to catch his breath, his hand reaching for the doorknob which was quite dusty. Weird. 

The door was locked with a piece of memo stick beneath the number. It was out of character for mom to leave something unclean like this. 

Realization dawned on him as Percy tried to fit the pieces in together again. Cold sweat started to pool down and he found his hands shaking. The small yellow piece of paper seemed to be as heavy as a rock.

The memo stick left his hand and landed on the floor. Small, cursive and neat handwriting which belonged to Sally Jackson was starting to fade away as the piece already gained a thin layer of dust. **Which should mean she was gone for almost nine months.** Percy recalled how his mother’s answers were always the same and her background was the same, too. In fear of being detected by the gods, he always made it short to her and clearly didn’t notice the peculiarity. 

His mother and Paul were definitely captured by the gods.

He rushed down and run past the security guard who was whistling with newspaper on his hands and a Dr. Pepper next to his chair. Percy had to find the son of Hades quick, them being at the centre of Olympus was dangerous enough, not to mention what he just found out about his parents. 

As he ran on the crowded street of Manhattan, Percy cursed himself for not asking Nico where they would meet and hoped the vamp didn’t ditch him. Seeing the big “M”, he crossed his fingers and rushed in…to see the Italian with a mouthful of fries. Next to his Pepsi was a plate with plenty of chicken nuggets. Nico’s face looked almost comical with his eyes bulging out in surprise if Percy weren’t so worried about the gods’ next move.

“We have to go. Now!”

 

They barely reached the door when the sun crashed down in front of them. 

 

The heat would have killed them if Nico hadn’t grabbed him and sprinted away from the blindingly bright ball of fire. Its hallo faded and it was…Apollo’s sports car. It immediately changed into a chariot with two white horses neighing, stomping on the ground. Their eyes burned fire as if everything around wasn’t hot enough.

Nico hissed and Percy dug his hand in the former’s aviator pocket, hoping to find his usual sunscreen. His eyes watered because even when the light let up a little, it was still too bright to compare to any other standard. He could feel a pair of glasses but that wasn’t what he was looking for.

“Sunscreen wouldn’t do. In fact, it is pointless to fight back” Percy was sure the voice was not Apollo’s. This voice was thick with boredom and ancient indifference, which should belong to the former Sun god. However, Percy couldn’t bring himself to remember any information he has absorbed in Mythology.

There was a bead of sweat lining up on Nico’s face now and Percy felt frustrated. During their six months together, Percy had learned much about the perks of being a half-blood vampire (hahahaha, hmph) and one of them was that Nico got headaches if his skin made contact to sunlight for too long without sunscreen. His mood swings and grumpiness got worse if so but Percy knew he shouldn’t be worried over those because, mind you, there was a Sun god right in front of them.

“Why should we fight back? You are not going to harm us, right?” Considering their situation now, that question was stupid but Nico nodded his head, showing that he understood how Percy was trying to give him time to figure out a proper plan.

“Now that is irrelevant” the sun god smirked “I came to deliver a message”

“Comply or die?” Percy asked, could already imagine how Apollo would remark the rhyme.

“Something like that” the old sun god smirked, his short-grooved platinum hair glowed as he cocked his head aside.

Percy couldn’t think of anything to say so he turned to Nico, was about to ask for a plan when Nico signaled him with a grim expression. **Damn it**. 

“He can’t travel shadow any longer. His father’s realm has been disabled deliberately” Percy could see how red Nico’s skin was turning out owing to the heat and light from the Sun Chariot, which implied that the Sun God liked vintage. 

“I am Helios, I rode in the skies of Ancient Greek and cast light and heat to your pathetic kind before the brat Apollo came along” he stated, staring at Percy with annoyance but the son of Poseidon took a guess that Helios was used to such situation.

“What happened to Apollo?” Nico asked out of the sudden and his skin was as red as a lobster now. Well, that would be exaggerating but Percy was pretty much worried. Despite his rapidly trying to think of an escape, his mind cast back to the day when Nico was a ten-year-old fan of Mythomagic, asking Apollo what had happened to Helios. Wow, ironic.

As the god went on to explain, Percy scanned the area but couldn’t think of any plan. He noticed that Nico wouldn’t feel well if he didn’t feed with blood regularly and sadly he hadn’t had the chance to when they encountered Helios so they had no chance fighting. Not to mention how a ring of fire was surrounding them, probably for the purpose of blocking the mortals’ view but it was pretty intense. No shadow travel, Percy tried to search for a near source of water with a view to defeating Helios the same way he did with Hyperion.

 _“Bingo”_ as he saw the nearby fire hydrant but then a thought crossed his mind and Percy frowned to himself. If Nico’s powers were taken, wouldn’t the gods take his as well?

“Surrender, yet?” the Sun God asked, interrupted Percy’s train of thoughts and Nico gripped at his wrist tightly, signaled him to draw out Riptide.

“That’s the message?” Percy asked “Sorry we can’t”

 

They flew into battle and the god roared with somewhat pleasure, his two machetes ready to slash. Percy notices Helios wearing an amour which is quite different from Hyperion’s and he hated himself for not noticing the enemy’s appearance before. The god stroke down and both of them caught it with their swords, it scared Percy that it took two to handle the god’s strength. In addition, the heat coming from him was affecting them terribly, especially for Nico. The Ghost King was gritting his teeth, his fangs showing.

Nico probably couldn’t just bite the god. Who would bite a ball of fire and heat?

The hair on Percy’s arms scorched and the sweats seemed to have evaporated from his skin, his eyes watered constantly and he had to blink much more while fighting.

“Percy!” Nico screamed his name, as he dodged another slash from Helios “Help!”

Percy tried to lunge at the Sun god despite the terribly sweltering heat but the light was too bright, he missed and the god cut his shoulder blade. The blood oozed out, seeped through the fabric of his T-shirt quickly.

“I can’t see!” Percy growled as tears pricked at his eyes again.

Percy guessed the god just wanted to fight them as he didn’t even let another word of surrender incentive slip through, unlike other enemies. He charged them mercilessly, ready to jump at a chance of their slip-ups. Nico had been doing well thanks to his speed, but Percy was afraid that he sooner or later would screw up something for both of them.

“Buy me some time!” he yelled and Nico frowned, eyes not leaving Helios. Percy knew how hard that would be but he couldn’t manipulate the water without concentration. Nico nodded at him and dodged away another strike. The Sun God smirked, his blades still covered with Percy’s blood.

“Gladly!” a strange voice answered and Percy wanted to take a look of the owner. Instead, he squinted his eyes shut and held out both hands towards the fire hydrant. The useless metal pipe with its annoying shade of red just stood there as if challenging him. 

Through hooded eyelids, he could see a shorter figure than Nico swinging a baseball bat. It might not affect the god much but it sure helped. It could be noticed that Nico was surprised at the person’s presence but they were working with each other pretty well.

It felt like a punch when the water burst out of the fire hydrant and Percy heard a terrified scream from Nico, who was still deflecting slashes from Helios. He raised both hands and the water moved gracefully to follow his commands, building up as a wall and was about to cordon of the ring of fire that the Sun God created earlier.

“Is that all you’ve got, brats!” Helios challenged and Percy for a split second, thought that the god would come up with a formal, fancy sentence rather than teen language.

The fire was put out at the same time when Helios roared, the sounds of flesh being stabbed over and over again made Percy cringed. Now it felt like someone grabbed a handful of his intestines and tried to pull them out of his tummy when he tried to lift the water up above the Sun God.

“Now!” Nico shouted and gallons of water crashed down on both of them. The blood mingled into the water and the figure lying on the ground gasped in pain. Wait, he was injured?!

“You insolent mortal!” Helios roared, staggering backwards with hands hugging his wound.

“I’m no mortal” the same voice which had answered him with confidence now weak and croaky. It was the blond, his blood (?) seeping out from his clothes. 

The god vanished into thin air and so did the chariot. Nico screamed and scooted over the injured person who was still holding his Stygian sword. Golden ichor splattered on it and Nico let go of the baseball bat, it fell with a thick sound of ‘thud’. They must have switched weapons.

The loss of heat and light struck a punch to Percy’s head, he fell to his knees with Riptide shrinking back to its normal ballpoint pen form. Nico was shouting for help but no one came. He felt dizzy and nauseous but Nico didn’t seem to be affected as much. 

“Do you hear me? Open your eyes, you idiot!”

The blond had his hair stained with blood, or was it hair dye? He was certainly a vampire with his red eyes and showing fangs, coughing up blood violent. He was stabbed from behind and Percy didn’t know what could be done for him.

“I’m sorry”

“No you are not” Nico answered, his voice shaky but his face showed no emotion.

“It shouldn’t have be- been like this”

“It shouldn’t have” Nico nodded.

“I’m sorry, Nico” Tears prickled at the corner of his eyes and Nico wiped them away gently. Percy didn’t know if he should say something.

“I’m sorry, K”

“I’ll take care of Nico. I promise” Percy clapped his hands over the stranger’s hand regardless of not even knowing him. He was not good with promises, in fact, he had a bad reputation for breaking them but Percy knew he would promise to himself the same thing. Nico did not shed a single tear, he just stared at the other vampire with a solemn look on his face.

With tears on his face, Kay breathed out one last time and drifted away.

“His name wasn’t Kay” Nico told him “Death, it’s best for him”

Percy didn’t want to argue with Nico since the son of Hades was probably the one who understood Death most. He doesn’t know the blond but he had a heavy feeling in his heart.

“Sending Helios is truly a mistake. No wonder they replaced him with Apollo”

Percy could only hear the sound of their knees hitting the pavement and it had been such a long time since he got a proper sleep. Maybe a few minutes wouldn’t hurt.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We are reaching the end. Please buckle up and prepare for surprises.


	12. No regrets

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am sorry. There will be wrist cutting although it is not suicide. I don't know. It was an act of sacrifice.

Percy woke up in the place he probably hated most at the time: Olympus throne room. The gods were looking at him as if they expected him to grow another head or something. Nico was still unconscious, clinging onto Percy’s arm while muttering a few Italian words. The son of Poseidon carefully untangled themselves and was up on his feet by the next minute. 

“You annoying deities” he groaned.

“Did he just call us ‘daisies’?” Ares whispered to Dionysus and the Wine Dude rolled his eyes.

Athena was standing next to Hera, they seemed to be devising an important plan that Percy was sure as hell would not like. If he remembered correctly, the last time these two goddesses had sided up was to destroy Trojan and it was devastating. Hera noticed him and smirked to Athena, the grey-eyed goddess had a stern look when she faced Percy.

“As can be seen, both of you are too stubborn to allow Nico di Angelo being executed” she stated, as the other gods drew their attention to her “We have agreed on giving you an alternative choice as not to be unreasonably forceful”

“Which should have been done right from the start” Percy commented.

“Believe me, Perseus Jackson. You do not look forward to this offer”

Percy scanned the whole room, noticed Hades and Apollo were absent. Hestia was looking at him, her dancing fire tried to warn him but Percy couldn’t read them so he was drawn back to Athena.

“What if I don’t?” he asked, heart beating fast.

“Then Nico di Angelo will spend the rest of his lifetime in comatose while your family be held captive by your own father, Poseidon himself”

“What?” Percy spun around to look at Nico’s lifeless body then at his father. He didn’t understand how the god would agree on imprisoning his wife. Nico didn’t look dead, but he didn’t seem to be waking up any earlier. 

“Let me rephrase myself then” Athena cleared her throat “This is the only option you’ve got”

Percy clenched Riptide in his clammy hand, a few crazy thoughts ghosted over his mind. The gods sat contented in their throne, as if daring him to jump at them. His jaw ached from gritting his teeth, head still aching from being captured earlier.He guessed it was the god Hypnos or his family because they had the tendency to lure their targets into sleep, a not-too-forceful but effective method.

“What is it?” he asked grudgingly.

“You have to use your power to revive Nico di Angelo. When one be a vampire, he no longer has the blood that keep beings alive” the goddess went on “You have to transfer the ‘dead blood’ in his veins out and replace it”

Percy shuddered involuntarily. It had been a long time since he had to use his powers on body fluids and now he was running the risk of killing Nico. He didn’t expect that. To be honest, he was expecting a quest to retrieve something for the immortals, not using his dark powers. 

“Will you take the risk?” 

“I’ll do it. Give me an hour”

“We will leave you to your own device for the next two hours. You have me as your supervisor during the blood transfusion” Athena declared and clapped “Others are to be dismissed”

Percy flopped down next to Nico when the gods had vanished with their theater effects. He wished he could ask for Nico’s suggestion because Percy had this terrible reputation when it came to decisions. He hadn’t screwed up much but with his luck, this time might be different. 

Nico frowned slightly and sighed, hands found Percy’s to lace their fingers together. It saddened Percy that even in his sleep, Nico didn’t look peaceful at all.

“Perseus” 

“Yes, Hestia?” he asked, didn’t even look up at the goddess. He cradled Nico's head in his lap, brushing away the dark locks of hair on his slacked face.

“I’m sorry it has to be like this”

“It’s not your fault. You are nothing like the gods” Percy replied, feeling her small hand on his shoulder.

“I am nothing unlike my siblings, Perseus. You may hate my guts two hours later” she said and Percy scanned her face, feeling so vulnerable as this goddess no longer gave him the safe feeling she once had given in the Battle of Manhattan. 

“I believe you will make the right choice. Think carefully, Percy” she disappeared with her warm, welcoming flames.

It had been months since they ran away together, Percy recalled the moment when Nico shadow-travelled out of his hotel room to look for Percy’s back cure. He lay face down on the bed and thought about how Nico had asked him that question. _Did you want to go, Percy?”_ , yeah that was it. Percy still couldn’t answer that, though. However he did think about how Nico thought highly of him coming to help.

Nico liked him.

Nico loved him unrequitedly for all those years of running away.

Percy wished he had known this before, so he could have done something to help. It was said that if you didn’t love someone, made sure to let them know about it subtly. He, instead, hadn’t even known about it. It wasn’t his fault, it wasn’t Nico’s but there was no one to blame. Now, he couldn’t do that because he himself was not sure about his feelings towards the son of Hades.

He remembered himself saying if he couldn’t help then, he would take action and help Nico now. That was why he kept on doing bunks with Nico for months. Percy didn’t know how Nico felt now when they ran and fought side by side. Did he unearth feelings that should be dead already? Did Nico even find comfort in his presence? 

Without knowing, Percy leaned down and planted a kiss on Nico's lips. It was the first time he initiatively showed his affections for Nico. It felt like he had taken a leap, the kind of relief that would bring you peace inside. Still, something coiled inside Percy's stomach because Nico might as well never know how Percy felt and finally replied to his unrequited love all these years.

Percy didn’t regret running away with Nico, and he would make sure he wouldn’t regret this decision, too.

 

“Are you ready, Perseus Jackson?” Athena asked, her voice echoed through the empty throne room.

Percy didn’t reply and he stood up, Riptide ready in his hand. He help up Nico’s wrist and gave it a big gash. The blood oozed out and Percy felt sick to his stomach because it didn’t look like blood. It looked like a black, thick liquid that could be mistaken with Styx’s water. Nico gasped as the skin broke but didn’t open his eyes.

Now, the hardest part.

Percy took a deep breath and began to draw the blood out by his power of fluid manipulation to speed up the procedure. The blood flowed out not so gracefully, but Percy kept on doing so. He did notice Nico getting even paler and tried to tell himself to keep calm, not to ruin this for the son of Hades.

“Perseus Jackson, your father has been wise on keeping your family captive in his Kingdom” Athena spoke up, the green-eyed demigod still concentrated on his task “Imagine what would happen if your mother were imprisoned elsewhere and what would happen to her”

The black blood was drawn out enough to fill half of the tub, all what needed left was the blood to replace it…which Percy didn’t have. He dropped the Dead blood on the clean white marble floor as Athena laughed cruelly.

“Help!” he shouted.

“You idiotic demigod! If only you were as wise as your father! I gave you two hours to prepare but you did nothing!”

“Athena, please help me!”

“Now, there’s nothing I can do” she said “you should have asked for the blood earlier”

“How could you!”

“You were so busy with your frivolous comments and accusation that you didn’t even think about my words properly” she mocked “Where’s the part ‘replace it’ that I said?”

Nico’s breaths became shakier and shakier, his lips quivering as the blood needed to maintain his mythical life form was no longer in his body. Percy panicked, his mind racing to  
find a solution. The Dead blood splattered on his shirt and Athena. However the goddess didn’t care.

“You know, this was my plan all along” Athena continued as she saw Percy on his knees “The plan to eliminate the children of the big Three”

Percy still listened to her even though he was feeling like he could just kill himself not to suffer this kind of panic. He needed to help Nico but half-heartedly wanted to die, avoiding consequences.

“The demigods are to be killed unless they are under the protection of a god or goddess. Jason Grace is under Hera’s command and Hazel Levesque is somewhat a servant to Hecate now. Which leaves you and Nico di Angelo out. My least favorite demigods”

“You are mad! I made all the gods promise not to ever do that again!” Percy yelled, his hands shaking and head spinning.

“Did you even remember us swearing on Styx? Or your words were cut off by your own father?” Athena said “In case you didn’t notice, we gods would one way or another, break promises”

Percy felt like he should die, he really should right now. He had made to many stupid mistakes, he wasn’t supposed to be alive. Then the son of Poseidon looked at his own wrist and he gritted his teeth, bring the blade up to where he could see the blue veins on his left wrist clearly.

“As I expected, the hero sacrificed himself to save someone who had already been neck deep in his grave” Athena exclaimed with mock when she saw Percy slashed his own wrist. 

Percy didn’t even try to be careful, if what, he just opened the wound even more to allow the blood to escape from his veins. He pulled it out by powers as quickly as possible, feeling his body burned from inside as if on fire. He felt dizzy and eyelids drooping down due to the lack of blood. 

Nico gasped when Percy’s blood seeped inside through the cut on his wrist. Percy knew this was still too risky since he remembered having learned somewhere that two people with different blood types can not carry out blood transfusion but- 

“Perseus Jackson, do you remember what Hestia said?” a merciless smile “You should start hating her right now, because the gods have already learned my plan! She could have warned you but she didn’t”

“Hah-“ Percy panted, his legs gave in and he fell sprawled on the floor, body shaking. The blood kept on flowing into the cut on Nico’s wrist but it was losing stability. 

“She could have taken Nico di Angelo under her wings”

His head hurts. Percy wondered if he had taken out half the amount of blood inside his body. This would inevitably result in death. 

“You would still die Percy. When you finally lose control, Nico wouldn’t receive enough blood and he would die, too”

_”Enough”_ Percy thought to himself in the last moment of consciousness. 

Nico had enough blood to replace the black thing now. Percy let out a sigh but- 

He was still not done yet. Percy tried to summon the platelet in the new blood, urging them to heal the wound immediately. He frowned as hard as possible, trying not to let his eyelids drop as he made sure the wound was closed properly. Nico turned and there was a pink color in his face, as if the blood transfusion had never happened. He looked like he was just sleeping

Athena watched without a single comment. 

Percy wanted to have last words. Percy wanted to curse, wanted to laugh at Athena’s face triumphantly or at least say ‘you were wrong, Miss Wisdom’. However, his mouth tasted bitter, and he could hold on no longer. This was it. He was going to die. 

_He didn’t regret this at all._


	13. No more.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A fucked up plan of the gods and a fucked up Nico who recalled the images of Tartarus just in case.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I did promise a happy ending, didn't I?

“Phase one of the plan is finally over.” Athena sighed with relief. “It was quite a show to watch.”

Aphrodite giggled, her arm hooked around the war goddess’s waist. She did not mind the armor at all and not even Poseidon making a face at her.

“If there is one thing about your plans, Thena.” Poseidon grumble. “They are so complicated and corrupted. I hate them so much.”

“They worked and that is what matters.” The grey-eyed goddess raised her voice.

“Shut up Poseidon, Athena had to be the bad guy this time so you should be more appreciative for our sake” Aphrodite finally spoke up from Athena’s back.

Hera looked at the three gods with a rare fondness. The gods had to be formal all the time, every moment of juvenescence should be appreciated. Although they were in a middle of discussing, Hera found them…acceptable.

It is true. The gods are unreasonable and cold. They would never be understood.

“Is Percy Jackson properly healed?”

“Yes, with the blood of a mortal.”

“So let me summarize your plan, Athena.” Hera said. “You tricked the two and the entire counselor into believing that Percy Jackson has lost his powers forever due to the blood transfusion and Nico di Angelo is now the new combination of darkness and water?”

“Basically that.”

“All of that just for Percy to transfer his blood to Nico.”

“But why wasn’t Percy the one to be the vampire? Why did you think Nico di Angelo was capable of handling the powers of my son?” Poseidon crossed his arms.

“Because Perseus is incompetent to defeat enemies with the powers he has.” Athena said, her voice dry as bones. “Remember what happened in Tartarus? He is too easily affected by external influences.”

Poseidon’s eyes hardened but he answered with such a dry tone that it could match Athena’s “It was because of your daughter, who then left him.”

“Him who failed to love her the way she deserves.”

“What do you know about love!?”

“At least I-“

The atmosphere started to feel suffocating as the two immortals glared at each other, tension crackling between. Hera was about to intervened when Aphrodite raised her hand and nodded silently.

She took three steps forward, blocking Athena from Poseidon. Who were these two to talk love in front of the goddess of love herself? They didn’t know love and seemed to underestimate it. They had seen horrible things one could do out of love, for love and even if they had, they wouldn’t understand. Love was one of the most destructive force of all.

“I am tired of you two bickering about your offspring! Annabeth and Percy are not meant to be, but from the love they once had, they learned so much that even an obvious person like Percy can feel love and act for it without even identifying his feelings.” The goddess of Love said, balled her hands into fists. “And that is why Percy is the one to sacrifice himself for Nico.”

“So if reversed, Nico di Angelo would not sacrifice his life for Perseus? I am surprised, to be honest.” Athena relented.

“He wouldn’t. Because Perseus would have found a negative way to solve his problem.” Hera simply added. For a person who had never experienced true love, she seemed to understand it.

“Although I had made up many conspiracies, I do not believe that both of them are deceived. There are still fatigues but stage 1 is officially finished.” Athena sighed again.

“What’s stage 2?” Poseidon asked, his trident glowing green as if its owner was impatient.

“Perseus Jackson is hidden from our rising foes as Nico di Angelo is targeted. The dark pawn will continue to train and improve himself.” Athena smiled coldly. “Although he is forbid from seeing the son of sea ever again, he’ll go against the rule, as expected.”

“A constant reminder of Perseus’s Greek side.”

“Then when the moment is ripe, Nico di Angelo will be forced to decide whether should he return the powers to Percy Jackson and step down, or both of them would end up in ashes.”

There was an annoying silence in the throne room. Despite having set up the plan, the gods would still not know the result. Of theirs and the heroes’ decisions.

“So be it.”

“No one other than us shall know of this.” Hera declared. “We are ready for the next war.”  
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Months later…

Nico was sitting on the dock of the lake in Camp Half-Blood, feet in the cool, soothing water. It was funny, how he had hated being in water and now it was basically his element. 

“In a world of your own again?” 

“Having a rest from building shrines again, Grace?”

“Hah, you think that’s funny but thanks to my job, I didn’t have to hunt you down months ago.”

“Yeah, that would result in some nasty thing.” Nico grimaced as Jason sat down next to him. 

“How does it feel? To be him?” Jason asked Nico just to receive a confused look. 

Nico then softened his facial expression, lifting his index finger. A skeletal fish emerged from the water and started entertaining the two teenagers by various dolphin tricks. Weird. Because how could the fish swim without muscles and stuff?

“Really?” Jason arched up an eyebrow and Nico nudged him with his elbow.

“You know what, Jason?” the raven answered, with a look of wistfulness in his face. “I am not him, although I have his powers now. I understand him better, but I am myself.”

Jason was about to say something, then close his mouth and nodded in agreement “You’re right. I have just literally regarded Percy as the one with the water powers and no more than that. Sorry.”

“He’s happier now.” Nico muttered. “He told me so.”

The skeletal fish dropped dead back to the lake. Nico realized he had taken up the habit of playing with water from Percy. He sighed and Jason tried to divert their conversation to another direction. However, it seemed like he couldn’t come up with anything.

“How is everyone at camp? How’s Annabeth?” Nico asked, starting to create small waves on the lake surface.

“They’re fine with his decision. I mean, he chose to safe you and they all respect that. However-“ Jason put off his glasses to clean them. “Annabeth doubts the whole story. She’s still upset about not understanding the whole thing, though.”

“Even I don’t believe it.” Nico sighed then balled his hand into a fist so quickly that the water almost splashed up on them.

“She said something about Gods having no DNAs so Percy couldn’t have lost his powers…”

Thunder started rolling above of them.

“I think we’re involved in another plan of the gods.” Nico whispered, glancing at the sky.

“I have to worry about building shrines. I have no time for this shit.” Jason whispered back jokingly and received a small splash in the face. Nico laughed when Jason playfully retaliated.

“I’m glad that Hazel was fine with all that had happened. Don’t need the gods to target her with their stupid plans.”

“So, I’ll see you around? You’re staying with your boyfriend, right?”

“Percy’s not my boyfriend.”

“He’s not? I thought-”

“Not yet.” Nico looked down to his shoes. He couldn’t help feeling nervous whenever he thought about their current relationship. “I want to give him some time.”

“Oh.” Jason’s knowing smile was back. “Tell him I said hi.”

Jason had disappeared by the time Nico let the shadows swallowed him whole.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Nico traveled without difficulty back to the apartment that he was so familiar with. Percy rented it just a few months ago, not wanting to bother his family again although Sally kept telling him that everything was fine. She then insisted that they come over for dinner twice a month, which was very nice, actually.

He hadn’t understand how people usually said their home was to be with another person when he wandered in solitude before; home had supposed to be a place to rest and eat as much as he wanted. The concept didn’t change much to him but now when he shared a small apartment at the middle of Manhattan, he never felt so at ease. His gratitude for Percy’s company could only be expressed by late, late night cuddles and mornings notes. Sometimes, blue cookies Nico managed to bake.

Ever since Percy decided to take up the job at a coffee shop, they hadn’t had the chance to sit down and talk properly about everything. What Percy thought of losing his powers, what had crossed his mind when he sacrificed himself was written messily on the blue notes on the pillow next to the receiver.

_“I won’t put it as ‘sacrifice’”_ Percy once wrote. _“The only thing in my mind then was how I wouldn’t be able to live, knowing that you died because of me.”_

Nico liked to think of that as love. But it could be the logic of every other reasonable person.

It had been three months since he last woke up with a limp Percy by his side, face paler than any vampire. He demanded to know what had happened and had to refrain himself from not attacking the goddess of Justice War. The thought that Percy sacrificed himself for his sake felt like a punch. It dawned on him that this demigod, who had been willing to follow him into the darkest deepest corner of the world and would have taken his hand to lead him to paradise, was dead.

_“He will be fine.” Athena simply told him “I have given him the blood he needs to maintain his life force. However, he is nothing but a mere mortal now.”_

_“How-“._

_“You can’t see him any longer. He belongs with the mortal now.”_

_“After all the shit we’ve been through, you have no right to tell us what to do!” Nico shouted, hand reaching for his sword but the goddess had disappeared already._

Nico shook his head, gliding his hand through his new undercut. He could still remember how directionless he felt, how he wanted to curl up and die right at the spot, running away from the undeniable truth but he couldn’t bring himself to leave an unconscious Percy behind.

He remembered himself once thought that the reason why his love for Percy was so smitten was because he was impressionable. He considered Percy a role model and a mythical hero. However, he knew better than that now. His love for Percy was not fast and furious, it was slow and comforting to let things happened naturally and not expecting anything in particular. So he found out that love is actually not always painful and intoxicating as he thought.

Now he knew for sure that he loved Percy for who he was, and that was confirmed when he couldn’t help going back to the son of Poseidon, although he knew the trouble it would get him into. 

Percy was sleeping contentedly on the bed, his back turning to Nico’s direction. The green-eyed didn’t even take off his apron, which he was given at the first day of work. The smell of coffee managed to inform Nico of Percy’s presence before he even entered the room. His blue converses were right next to the nightstand. Feeling giddy and joyful to an unusual degree, the son of Hades walked out the bedroom to put away the shoes. He crawled on the bed quietly and wrapped an arm around the other’s waist. Nico was glad Percy came home early today, the guy really needed to have a break since it was either him or Nico that came home late to find the other sleeping already or not even there. With all the expectations for an evening with Percy, Nico kissed the back of said boy’s neck softly.

Percy shuddered and Nico could see his neck reddening even from behind. Nico’s mind was separated between just lying there, pretending nothing happened or scooting away pathetically, and then Percy spoke up.

“I made you some jelly, it’s in the fridge.” His voice was hoarse from sleep and embarrassment.

“Really?” Nico asked. “I thought you tumble right into bed.”

“Came home at lunch. Stopped for the grocery store.”

“Okay.” He gave Percy’s arm a light squeeze then headed for their kitchen.

Under the bright light of the fixture, Nico found their mini, secondhand fridge next to the wooden cupboard. He found six, small paper cup with bright red jelly inside. On the sides of each wrote: “Blood type: A/B/O/AB.” Nico grabbed two cups and one spoon, a mischievous smile on his face as he returned to where Percy was.

“You and your humor.” Nico said almost accusingly but he must have sounded endearing to Percy because the other beamed at him. He placed a cup in front of Percy’s face.

“You brought only one spoon and I’m too lazy to even move.” He whined and jerked at Nico’s shirt.

“Is this strawberry flavor?” Nico asked as he had the first spoon.

“And pomegranate.”

“What? Where would you get the juice of that?”

“I thought there was no such thing but pomegranate juice does exist.” Percy eyed the spoon but Nico ignored him.”

“Absolutely refreshing! I’d die to eat more.” The inky-eyed said so pretentiously, he was laughing internally as he finished the cup. Percy gave his shirt another jerk before reaching up for the spoon again.

“This is madness!” Percy exclaimed, he didn’t seem to notice how his body was pressed against Nico’s. The Underworld demigod signaled the swimmer to stop and told him spoon-feeding was the only option.

“But why?” Percy protested. “It’s not like…” his eyes widened. “You did this on purpose, cheese ball!”

Nico flushed with unexpected embarrassment.

After he had spoon-fed Percy the other cup, too, Nico plead the vampire joke as his excuse for revenge.

“Your jokes only started after I’d lost my vampire powers. Why?”

“It’s a memorable time.” Percy answered. “I don’t want to forget it.”

“Neither do I.”

They sat in nostalgic silence.  
“How come you always refuse to drink my blood when we were running away? Just a little until you found a proper prey?” Percy asked all of a sudden. “I felt like there was something so wrong with me that you went out hunting at midnight when I was just right there.”

“You don’t understand. It’s disgusting, I don’t want to make use of you.”

Percy straightened his back “I deliberately offered you my blood. You didn’t make use of me! I ran away with you of my own free will! Did you feel like that all the time?” he asked in disbelief.

“Yes. No. But it’s disgusting.”

“What? Being a vampire and having no choice but to consume blood for your survival? No.” Percy continued his uncalled for lecture, arms folding “What’s most disgusting, it’s how people consider being a vampire a fucking sin. How the gods want to kill their own children because they feel intimidated, how it’s always the victim’s fault, despite what they’ve gone through. How people avoid you when something terrible happens to you, how-”

Before Percy could finish his rant, Nico pulled him into a hug and the green-eyed buried his face into the other’s shoulder. He gasped for air, blurry realization on how he had shouted at Nico and lost control did nothing to improve the situation.

“You’re talking about yourself, Percy.” Nico said, hoping that he sounded soothing.

“You and I, Annabeth.”

Percy once told him about how Annabeth was dealing with _the place below_. He didn’t include himself and never touched the subject again. Nico had hoped that if Percy were turned human, the god Tartarus would give up on him. He wanted to confirm, now, dreading the answer.

“Do you still dream?” Percy nodded into his shoulder and Nico stroke his back. He had expected this answer but he did not know how to react to it. Contrary to Percy, his dreams disappeared as soon as he received the water powers. Knowing better than to believe that they wouldn’t come back, he recalled the images on a regular basis and trained hard for battle.

“I will help you through this, Percy. I,” Nico stopped as the word ‘promise’ dangled dangerously upon them. He could feel Percy holding his breath.

“I know you would do the same for me.” The son of Hades said instead.

“Thank you. Thank you so much.” Percy breathed into the hot and damp fabric of his shirt.

“Let’s just lie down for a while, please?” Nico slowly leaned down so Percy had to follow.

Next to the green-eyed mortal, who was falling asleep again with dried tear tracks on his face, Nico knew that whatever their relationship was, it would not going to be easy. It was difficult, but it was real. Nico could not ask for more than this, not because he didn’t deserve any more but because he was happy enough. Percy, beside him, no more.

_**End**_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So...this is it. It has been a great journey so far. I'm sorry for not having updated.  
> HOWEVER, to make up for that, tell me if you guys want a sequel. Only one comment and I will upload the sequel as Chapter 14. So...Please comment, I love reading from you guys.


	14. A sequel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How Nico had missed being alive.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's the sequel. Thank you so much for your kudos and comments.

“After receiving Percy’s powers, how does it feel to eat a tuna sandwich?” Hazel brushed off the crumbs on her flowery dress. She wiped her mouth and offered her brother some tissue.

“Normal.” Nico said. “The marine creatures aren’t used to me, yet. I planned to fight underwater with an army of skeletal fishes once but there weren’t many fish skeletons to fight with so I go with those of the monsters down there.” He aimed and threw the ball of tissue into the trashcan.

“Do you get tired quickly?”

“The water helps, it revives me instantly. What bothers me is that I haven’t made an effort to study about them, the creatures. I should, that’s only appropriate, now that I have these powers.”

“You could always ask Percy to help.”

“Yeah. Is that yarn in your handbag?”

“Two pairs of needles. Do you want to-“ Nico nodded quickly so Hazel shrugged and they started knitting.

It felt good to just sit and listen to Hazel’s stories about the days on Ogygia. About how Jason had fallen asleep on the beach and woke up looking like a lobster (she hadn’t had any sunscreen for him, unfortunately). About fashion advice from Artemis and Apollo, who had shown up a few days later. About how they had spent every day building sandcastles and had fish for dinner.

“So Frank came with Calypso to rescue you guys?”

“On a boat!” Hazel sounded so astounded that Nico had to stop knitting. “I was suffering seasick all the way home.”

“Maybe the magic of the island was dead.”

“Not until Calypso stepped foot on it again.” Nico arched an eyebrow, hands moving.

“We barely managed to get off Ogygia before it sank. Maybe because of the irony.” Only Calypso could destroy the island, her beautiful and homely prison.

Nico nodded, patting his sister’s shoulder. He didn’t know what to say, when Hazel had almost been stranded at that prison for the rest of her life because of him. He owed them so much, after what Frank and her had endured.

“So I should take you back to New Rome now?”

“Yeah. I’m not sure what will I do when I get back, though.” Hazel tapped her foot.

“Maybe we should head for lunch now.”

“It’s only ten, Nico. We had tuna sandwiches!” Hazel exclaimed. “Don’t you have anything else in mind?”

“I am going to buy Percy something but I have to take you home first.” Nico answered sincerely.

“Anniversary? You two are such cute boyfriends!” It was funny that the word ‘boyfriend’ from Hazel was still said with adorable shyness while she and Frank were literally the best of couples. 

Nico shook his head and Hazel understood immediately “So why didn’t you tell me? We should go together.”

“Hazel, I don’t want you to feel like we only hang out because of Percy. You’re my sister, Hazel.” Nico looked into her eyes worriedly.

Hazel looked dumbfounded and then regained her composure so that she could pinch Nico’s nose “You silly.” She said as Nico blushed. Sisterly gestures were his ultimate weakness. “As your sister, it would be an honor to help you buy the best gift for someone you like.”

“Gosh, you are so good with persuasion.” Nico groaned and Hazel smiled, or should he said, grinned because her face was dazzling.

Together, they walked towards the first shop in sight.

 

“Hey, I’d like to have a cup of PJ.”

“Sir, we don’t have that here and the only thing in my mind when you said ‘pj’ is pajamas.” The black-haired barista was crouching down under the counter as if he was in search for something.

Nico waited patiently until Percy resurfaced and beamed at him. “Nico!”

“Ready to head back home?” Nico asked. 

“But my shift is not over until six.”

“I took care of that already. Your manager, Johny, right? I bribed him.”

“Holy Hera, with what?” Percy widened his eyes, leaning forward.

“Magic tricks at his daughter’s birthday party.”

“What if something goes wrong? Monsters or even the gods!”

“The Mist. Hazel showed me how to control it.”

“I’m still worried.” Percy proceeded to took off his apron and washed his hands. “Larry! Tell John that I’m gone!” he called and joined Nico outside.

“Ready?” The obsidian-eyed offered a hand, Percy nodded as he understood what they were about to do. This was going to be his first shadow travel after being turned human. It was risky. When he first proposed to Nico the idea of travelling that way again, the son of Hades had refused to. The son of Hades was afraid and Percy had told him that he wanted to see if it were different for a mortal.

 

They made it back home, Nico balanced himself by holding onto a chair and slowly sat down the floor, Percy’s back was against the kitchen counter.

“It doesn’t change.” Percy said as Nico looked at him warily. “Everything is the same or even clearer. I see monsters in disguised, tree spirits, nymphs…”

“From your mother, isn’t it? The ability to see through the Mist.”

Percy nodded.

“I was fucking scared.” Nico blurted out. “They said I couldn’t see you again and I have just used my powers in front of you.”

Percy hugged him and Nico realized he was suffering some kind of attack right on that moment. He tried to slow down his rapidly shaky breaths but failed, and worse, started shaking. The green-eyed let go in order not for him to feel trapped but still held his hand.

“Nico, look at me, I’m still here.”

The Underworld demigod couldn’t understand why the attack came over him so quickly and unexpectedly. Holding onto Percy’s hand, he blocked out all the sounds, screwed his eyes shut. Then opened them immediately as the piercing glitch of red appeared behind his eyelids. Nico glued his eyes to the ground, creating a barrier to protect himself from the surrounding world.  
Percy reached for his other hand and gave him light squeezes, slowly pulled him out of the invisible barrier. Time dragged and after what felt like hours, Nico finally looked up from the ground to see Percy trying to smile at him. Hazel told both of them, once, that it is important to remain calm when the other one loses control. He knew Percy was trying to do that now, the green-eyed was problematic himself.

“They would have known by now. I still can see through the Mist, like my mom, so no need to keep my world away from me.” After all that had happened, Percy still referred to the demigod life as a part of himself.

Nico felt as if an anvil had been lifted from his chest, tangled in thoughts, still he was relieved. The collision of the mythical worlds almost cost Percy’s life and staying with Percy was so risky, yet beyond wonderful. He would go to any lengths if something happened to the son of Poseidon, now. Nico noticed the urge to fight for his life and stop being manipulated by the gods bubbling inside him painfully.

“Go take a shower.” Percy convinced him to move. “Movie night it is.”

“Dinner on me?” Nico asked not so much of a question as a decision.

“Dinner on you.” Percy nodded. “But I pay for the tickets.”

 

The apartment fell in silence as they both lay on bed, hands laced together. The night seemed young but weirdly empty after their eventful evening. He didn’t know what was in Percy’s mind but Nico himself wanted to stand on the rooftop and shouted to the world that he and Percy no longer had to worry about not being allowed to see each other. Like the weirdo he was, Nico went into the bathroom before they had dinner and contacted Hestia through IM. He asked the goddess if she could be _**their**_ guardian and promised her he would go on missions for her sake. The goddess of the hearth agreed without hesitation. Nico informed her of the fact that Percy could see through the Mist and she decided to use that in her argument with other gods.

It felt much easier to breathe now that he no longer had to worry about Percy being harmed because of him. Sure, his powers would attract monster but Nico would keep on training so that they didn’t have to suffer any longer.

He started giggling, somewhere near hysterically.

“What?” Percy asked, sitting up. “I did something stupid, didn’t I?”

“No, it’s just…I’m so happy.”

“Me, too.” Percy draped his arm over Nico’s stomach. The latter sat up suddenly and hopped down from their bed, opened the drawyer of that nightstand. The room was lit by a serene blue light when Nico pulled out the object and plugged it. The son of Poseidon crawled over, mesmerized by the lava bubbles in the cylinder-shaped lava lamp. The blue bubbles emerged in slow motion, having a calming effect on both of them. The demigod placed it on the night stand and lay back down.

“So beautiful.” Percy whispered. “Why did you buy this?”

“You told me the blue tank in your cabin helps against the nightmares so I thought I should buy something similar.” Nico answered. “Hazel helped.”

“Thank you. I love this.”

“Happy anniversary.”

“Anniversary of what?” Percy turned to face him and Nico was nervous that he couldn’t see the other’s facial expression.

“You started running away with me this day last year.”

Percy didn’t reply so Nico knew the green-eyed was thinking about the complication of whatever there was between them. The demigod knew, because it had always been an unsaid subject, a default to both of them. The gleams of the lava lamp were dancing on their ceiling, like the spirits Nico usually saw in the Underworld.

“I don’t want to rush things up.”

“Huh?” Nico tensed up, just a little.

“I’m nervous, Nico. I have never been good in,” Percy made a vague gesture while he was still sitting up. “relationships.”

“Percy, I just,” Nico felt as if he didn’t say what was in his mind, he would be so damn frustrated. “I love you. I don’t need you to return my feelings or whatever. I only want to live next to you, nothing more. Not a relationship, not a title.”

“I didn’t say anything about not being in a relationship.” Percy muttered.

“So what do you mean?” Everything made no sense.

“I want to…initiate stuffs.” Somehow Nico knew the other boy was blushing. His cheeks started heating up, too. “I always feel so damn sure about everything when I, uh,”

“I get it.”

“It makes no sense at all.” Percy sighed.

Nico felt his eyelids drooped down heavily after such a day, too much had happened, had been done, as if it had been written in one single chapter. While he had been so weighed down by sleep, the mortal next to him couldn’t stop twisting and turning.

“I can’t stand this.” Percy said as he sat up and climbed on top of Nico. Sleep was violently ripped away from him, Nico didn’t know what he should feel about all this toing and froing, all this “Let’s put Nico’s feels on a roller-coaster!” thing.

Calloused hands travelled to his face and brushed off Nico’s bangs. The former vampire waited in breathless anticipation and excitement, he couldn’t predict what Percy was about to do. The green eyes that shouldn’t be so bright thanks to only blue light from the lamp were so close to Nico’s as Percy’s face inched closer and closer.

How he had missed the feeling of his heart pounding against his ribcage with blissful joy from knowing that there were thousands of possibilities racing through his mind. The green-eyed could do anything to him now and Nico knew that he would root for Percy secretly no matter what that was.

The hands that had lay at the sides of Nico’s face now cupped it with such tenderness that shook Nico from inside. He drank in the feeling of Percy trailing kisses down from his forehead, his temple, cheek and then sealed their lips together.

How could Percy had such an effect on him and how could a kiss be everything at once would always be unknown to Nico. Sweet, emotional and everything that contrasts. Expressive and elusive, conscious and hazy, explosive and calming. 

“I love you.” Percy murmured against the lips of _the angelo_.

Nico pulled him down for another kis, and another, only interrupted by small kisses on both of their faces, and another, and another before they fell asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the last work of The Night Is Young. Thank you for all the readers who continue to read and support me in form of kudos and comments. Please leave comments, they are the last comments of this fic and I love reading from you guys.


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